The central government is reported to have exempted renewable energy projects by central public sector enterprises (CPSEs) from a 2020 rule that restricted imports from companies based in China and other countries sharing land borders with India.
The exemption has been provided on four categories of goods — solar photovoltaic cells, wafers, ethylene vinyl acetate, backsheet, and frames; inverters; trackers; and battery energy storage system components including cells, battery packs, and power conditioning systems. The move will enable the CPSEs to import the four categories of goods freely from any country, including China, which heavily dominates the renewable energy supply chain. The larger aim is to ensure a level playing field with other private sector competitors who do not face such import restrictions.