China’s Solar Capacity Overtakes Coal at 1,286 GW; India Stands at 164.59 GW

The solar story in China has reached another landmark. The nation had 1,286 GW of installed solar capacity at the end of July 2026, pushing solar ahead of coal-fired power capacity for the first time. 

India is far from that level. As of 31 July 2026, it had installed solar capacity of 164.59 GW. The speed of additions has also changed dramatically with India recording its biggest annual increase in FY 2025-26. 

China’s Solar Capacity Crosses Coal 

At the end of July, solar represented 31.5% of total installed power generation capacity in China. January–July this year also saw a 15.5% increase in electricity generation of 802.4 billion kWh from the same period last year. 

For the first half of 2026, coal supplied less than 50% of China's electricity generation. The National Energy Administration called solar overtaking coal a "landmark achievement" for China's transition to a greener and lower-carbon energy system. 

India Adds 44.61 GW In One Year 

India added 44.61 GW of solar capacity in FY 2025-26. That was well above the government's 34 GW target and nearly twice the 23.83 GW added in FY 2024-25. 

The change becomes clearer when viewed over a longer period. India had only 2.8 GW of installed solar capacity in 2014. 

The China-India Gap Is Still Large 

China's current solar capacity is nearly eight times India's. In 2025, China added 315 GW, while India added 37 GW and the US 34 GW. 

India nevertheless overtook the US in annual solar additions and became the world's second-largest solar growth market, according to the IRENA data cited in the source. 

India’s 2036 Target 

Renewable Energy Minister Pralhad Joshi said India's solar capacity will overtake coal-based capacity by 2036 and could exceed it by nearly 200 GW. 

China is meanwhile seeing electricity demand rise from computing infrastructure. In Changshu, Jiangsu, the computing sector accounted for nearly half of the increase in summer electricity demand. 

Read More: NIIF Infrastructure Fund II Secures $2 Billion Commitments! 

Conclusion 

China has put solar ahead of coal on a scale India has yet to approach. India, however, is adding capacity much faster than it did a year earlier, with its FY 2025-26 additions setting a new record. 

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