Promoting Solar Energy in India to Meet the Country’s Commitment to Climate Change and Energy Security

India’s energy demand is rising continuously. Its availability is critical for the country’s development. Most of the current energy requirement is met through conventional fossil fuel-based power generation. India is the third largest emitter of carbon emissions in the world. The energy sector, and within that the power sector, is the major contributor to these emissions. Under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), enshrined in the Paris Agreement, 2015, India has committed to reduce its carbon intensity by 33–35%. Juxtaposing the current energy generation and carbon emission scenario with its global commitments, policy makers have been compelled to devise policies to promote and mainstream renewable energy. This chapter reviews India’s renewable energy policies, specifically solar energy promoting policies, evaluating their impact on expanding the share of solar energy in the overall energy mix. It highlights fiscal and other benefits of these policies. It includes the institutional framework, key actors and the operational mechanisms for supporting policy implementation. It examines on-the-ground implementation—the challenges in upscaling solar energy and improving its penetration have also been discussed. Now ranked third, India has improved its global position in solar power deployment. More needs to be done to ensure stable and continual growth of the solar power sector to achieve its ambitious targets.