The WTO dispute "India – Solar Cells" concerns
the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Mission ("National
Mission"), launched in India six years ago. As part
of the National Mission, the government of India was purchasing
electricity only from the producers that used for its generation
solar cells and modules of Indian origin. According to the US, such
requirement is inconsistent with the WTO obligations of India,
which resulted in the dispute at issue.
SUMMARY
The main purpose of the National Mission was to promote national
"ecologically sustainable growth and attainment of energy
security in India." Its pragmatic task was to generate
100,000 MW of solar power capacity by 2022. As part of the National
Mission, the government of India has undertaken an obligation to
purchase electricity from solar energy producers at the standard
rate, guaranteed for 25 years and to sell it to the downstream
distribution utilities, which, in turn, resell it to the ultimate
consumers.
