India added 26.6 GW of solar capacity in the first nine months (9M) of the calendar year 2025, an increase of 53.7% year-over-year (YoY) from 17.3 GW, according to the Q3 2025 India Solar Market Update Report by Mercom India Research.

Large-scale solar accounted for 81.5% of the capacity commissioned in 9M 2025, while rooftop solar contributed 18.5%.

Tenders totaling about 7.7 GW were issued in 2025 to develop utility-scale solar projects.

Here are the top solar project development tenders issued in 2025:

#1 The largest tender was issued by Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency (UPNEDA), inviting expressions of interest to develop 2 GW of solar power projects in the Chitrakoot, Jalaun, Jhansi, and Lalitpur districts in Uttar Pradesh. UPNEDA has shortlisted three locations for projects exceeding 50 MW, 11 locations with capacities between 30 MW and 50 MW, 56 locations between 10 MW and 30 MW, and 167 locations with capacities below 10 MW. The initiatives will utilize roughly 8,000 acres of government land across 158 villages in four districts.

#2 UPNEDA also floated the second-largest tender seeking expressions of interest to develop 1.3 GW solar power projects in Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh. The projects will be developed on a build-own-operate basis in Garautha and Mauranipur tehsils. The total project area covers 5,508 acres, comprising 957 acres of government land leased to the developers for a 30-year period and 4,551 acres of private land to be procured by the developers, including wasteland areas. The land is in three contiguous blocks within nine villages of Garautha tehsil and one continuous block within a village of Mauranipur tehsil.

#3 NHPC released the third-largest tender which was to develop 1.2 GW of ground-mounted solar projects at the Jalaun Solar Park in Uttar Pradesh. Bundelkhand Saur Urja, a joint venture of NHPC and Uttar Pradesh New and Renewable Energy Development Agency, is developing the solar park. Selected bidders must sign a power purchase agreement (PPA) with NHPC for 25 years. The scope of work includes the development of the solar projects until the interconnection point at the incoming side of the pooling substation. It also involves providing operation and maintenance services.

#4 Deendayal Port Authority (DPA) announced the fourth largest tender for developing a 1 GW solar project on its coastal land parcel between Chirai and Jangi in Gujarat. The land parcel is intertidal and marshy and partially falls within the Coastal Regulation Zone. DPA will sign a PPA with developers for 25 years, who must supply 1,750 MW of power in a year. Projects must be completed within 10 months of the PPA signing.

#5 The fifth largest tender was issued by Coal India to develop an 875 MW solar power project at Rajasthan Rajya Vidyut Utpadan Nigam’s 2,000 MW Solar Park at Pugal. The scope of work includes the design, engineering, procurement, erection, testing, and commissioning of the solar project, along with comprehensive operation and maintenance services for two years.

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