China proposes ban on export of 12 solar manufacturing technologies

The proposed measures target specified solar manufacturing technologies and related equipment-manufacturing know-how, not the exports of finished solar modules

China has proposed prohibiting or restricting the export of 12 solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing technologies, including processes used to produce perovskite and tandem solar cells, thin silicon wafers and polysilicon. The proposal could affect Indian manufacturers seeking access to Chinese technology as India expands domestic solar manufacturing.

 

The proposed changes, published last week on Friday, would add the technologies to China's ‘Catalogue of Technologies Prohibited or Restricted from Export’. They form part of a wider review covering 40 technologies across solar energy, artificial intelligence (AI) and biomedicine, according to the Chinese government's draft announcement.

 

"The photovoltaic sector includes 12 technologies related to the manufacturing of polysilicon, silicon wafers, and solar cells; the scope of management also encompasses the key and core equipment that embodies these technologies," Chinese government’s announcement read.

 

 

The draft cites national security concerns, including the use of advanced solar technologies in aerospace and defence. The public consultation will run until November 15, 2026. The proposed prohibitions and restrictions have not yet formally taken effect.

Which solar technologies are covered?

The proposed prohibitions cover specified technologies used to manufacture silicon wafers no thicker than 70 micrometres, certain polysilicon production processes using fluidised-bed technology, and selected photovoltaic cell technologies.

 

The draft also proposes to prohibit exports of specified manufacturing processes for perovskite and perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells and modules that meet defined size and efficiency thresholds.

 

Perovskite is an emerging solar technology with the potential to improve conversion efficiency. Tandem cells combine perovskite and silicon layers to capture different parts of the solar spectrum.

 

Fluidised-bed technology is an alternative to the conventional Siemens process for producing polysilicon, a key raw material for solar cells. The technology can offer lower production costs and energy consumption.

 

China has proposed restricting exports of selected technologies used to manufacture advanced crystalline-silicon cells, including tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon), heterojunction (HJT) and back-contact (XBC) cells. The draft also covers specified processes for producing polysilicon, silicon wafers and associated manufacturing equipment.

 

Notably, the proposed controls apply to defined manufacturing technologies and equipment-related know-how. As per the draft, they do not amount to a blanket ban on exports of finished solar panels.

India remains dependent on imported upstream components

India has expanded its solar module manufacturing capacity, but domestic production of upstream components remains limited.

 

A report by The Energy and Resources Institute (Teri), published in 2026, estimated that India had nearly 120 gigawatts (GW) of annual solar module manufacturing capacity in 2025 and around 30 GW of cell capacity. In contrast, domestic ingot and wafer capacity stood at about 2 GW, while commercial-scale polysilicon production was absent.

 

The report also said India imported 70-100 per cent of production equipment for wafer and cell manufacturing and module assembly. Most high-technology production machinery continues to come from overseas suppliers, predominantly Chinese companies.

 

Another report by NITI Aayog and CRISIL Intelligence, published in August 2026, estimated that India's import dependence was close to 100 per cent for solar-grade polysilicon, above 90 per cent for wafers and above 60 per cent for solar cells. Imports also accounted for more than 40 per cent of available module supply after exports.

 

China accounted for nearly 59 per cent of India's solar photovoltaic cell and module imports in 2024, the report said. Other than China, India also imports solar cells and modules from Vietnam, Thailand and Malaysia. These three countries together accounted for 14 per cent of India’s solar PV imports in FY2025, the report said.

China dominates global solar manufacturing

Not just in India, China has an apparent dominance in the solar manufacturing sector globally.

 

The NITI Aayog report estimated that, in 2024, China accounted for 93–98 per cent of global polysilicon production, 95 per cent of global wafer manufacturing capacity, 91 per cent of solar cell capacity and 82 per cent of solar module capacity.

 

The International Energy Agency's (IEA's) Special Report on Solar PV Global Supply Chains, published in 2022, also documented China's dominance across the solar manufacturing value chain, from polysilicon and ingots to wafers, cells and modules. It said China's share exceeded 80 per cent across all manufacturing stages at the time.

 

The IEA attributed this position to investment, economies of scale and industrial policies that supported domestic demand and innovation. It also identified geographical concentration in the supply chain as a potential vulnerability for countries dependent on imports.

 

China's proposed export controls would add a technology-access dimension to this concentration. While the existing dependence concerns materials, components and equipment, the proposed measures cover specified manufacturing processes and technical know-how as well.

What could the proposed controls mean for solar businesses?

The impact on Indian manufacturers will depend on the final scope of the controls and the technologies covered. If adopted, the proposed prohibitions could prevent the export of specified manufacturing technologies.

 

Industry reports have long flagged India’s dependence on imported advanced manufacturing equipment as a constraint on the domestic solar PV supply chain.

 

If access to critical manufacturing know-how becomes more restricted, Indian manufacturers could find it harder to adopt new technologies, upgrade production processes and keep pace with global advancements in solar cell manufacturing.