(ET)
A new 12 gigawatts solar energy scheme, which has been deftly crafted to mandate local manufacturing without violating WTO’s trade rules, is in the final stages of approval, and will help local industry withstand the onslaught of cheap imports, senior government officials said.
The Rs 8,000-crore scheme will be a significant boost for Indian manufacturers, who are also waiting for the imposition of a safeguards duty on solar gear. The local industry has suffered because WTO, acting on a US complaint, ruled that India had violated trade rules by mandating use of locally made cells and modules in its national solar mission.
Renewable energy is a hot area of trade tussles with many trying to dominate the sector that is expected to flourish as reliance on coal and oil dwindles. “The scheme is in final stages of consultation with various government departments and ministries, including finance, commerce, and the Prime Minister’s Office,” a government official told ET on condition of anonymity.
