India Rising as Global Electro-Tech Hub: WEF Report

Current Context: The World Economic Forum (WEF) released its report “How India is Charting a New Path into the Electric Age” on March 26, 2026.

• The report highlights India’s emergence as a global electro‑technology hub, skipping the fossil‑fuel heavy industrialization phase of the West and China.
• India’s electronics industry has grown six‑fold in a decade to $130 billion, creating ~2.5 million jobs, now powering solar, battery, and EV manufacturing.
• Solar supremacy: Module capacity has reached 120 GW, while solar cell production has risen to 18 GW from almost nothing ten years ago.
• The report notes a cost flip—solar plus battery storage is now 50% cheaper than building new coal plants in India.
• India leads globally in electric three‑wheelers (~60% market share), with passenger EV sales nearing 5% of total car sales.
• By manufacturing its own energy technology, India is achieving strategic autonomy, reducing fossil fuel imports, and insulating itself from global oil shocks.

Question:

Q.1 As per the report “How India is Charting a New Path into the Electric Age”, India’s solar cell production capacity has:
a) Declined to 5 GW
b) Increased to 18 GW from near zero
c) Stayed constant at 10 GW
d) Increased to 50 GW

Answer: b) Solar supremacy: Module capacity has reached 120 GW, while solar cell production has risen to 18 GW from almost nothing ten years ago.