India added nearly 1.6 GW of wind power capacity in the first quarter (Q1) of the calendar year (CY) 2026, up 14% quarter-over-quarter (QoQ) from 1.3 GW. The capacity additions fell 16% year-over-year (YoY) from 1.8 GW, according to Mercom India Research.

India recorded its highest-ever annual wind capacity addition of 6.3 GW in 2025, an 85% YoY increase from 3.4 GW.

According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), policy support and improved project execution are driving steady growth in India’s wind sector, with capacity additions concentrated in states such as Gujarat, Karnataka, and Maharashtra. The expansion is supported by a growing pipeline of wind-solar hybrid projects and the gradual rollout of green energy open access, strengthening India’s position as a leading global wind market.

MNRE highlighted that government measures, including concessional customs duty on select components, interstate transmission system charges waiver until June 2028, and competitive bidding mechanisms, along with the introduction of a Wind Renewable Consumption Obligation framework and technical support from the National Institute of Wind Energy, are supporting this growth.

In Q1 2026, several significant wind energy projects were commissioned. Tata Power commissioned a 198 MW project under the group captive model in Karur, Tamil Nadu. Adani Green Energy commissioned three projects in Khavda, Gujarat, with capacities of 185 MW, 140 MW, and 65 MW. Ayana Renewable Power, a subsidiary of ONGC NTPC Green, also commissioned over 90 MW of wind capacity in Bhuj, Gujarat.

Gujarat led the installations in Q1, adding around 821.3 MW. Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan added 316.5 MW, 131 MW, and 120 MW, respectively. These states alone accounted for 87.7% of the quarter’s installations.

As of March 2026, the cumulative installed wind capacity was 56.1 GW, rising 2.9% from 54.5 GW at the end of December 2025.

 

Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka continued to lead the cumulative wind capacity with 15.6 GW, 12.1 GW, and 8.7 GW as of March 2026.

Maharashtra and Rajasthan retained their fourth and fifth positions, with cumulative installations of around 5.9 GW and 5.3 GW, respectively.

The top five states accounted for 85.2% of the cumulative installed wind capacity as of March 2026.

Recently, MNRE proposed draft RLMM amendments mandating domestic sourcing of key wind turbine components, stricter disclosure norms, cybersecurity localization requirements, and limited import relaxation for new manufacturers.

In other developments, Karnataka issued a discussion paper proposing a generic ceiling tariff of ₹3.24 (~$0.0346)/kWh for wind projects from FY 2027 to FY 2029.

According to a tentative list notified by the Central Transmission Utility, solar, wind, and hybrid projects with a cumulative capacity of 1,622 MW are yet to declare commercial operation, with compliance dates falling between January and April 2026.