The Government of India is more concerned about creating jobs quickly and ensuring ample power supply which often sees blackouts. India's solar panel makers can no longer turn to the Indian government for help in protecting them by making the international products less competitive through customs duties etc.

India has recently removed restrictions on where solar equipments are sourced. India's $100 billion push into solar energy over the next decade will be driven by foreign players with an aim to make the technology and manufacturing competitive. Last year, it dropped an anti-dumping duty on panel import. This will lead to foreign companies making panels in India.

China?s Trina has disclosed plans for a $500 million plant and US-based SunEdison is investing $4 billion in creating manufacturing facility. Both are tying up with Indian power firms to build the plants. Last week, Softbank from Japan announced an investment of up to $20 billion. It would consider making solar panels with Taiwan's Foxconn in India.

India has said it expects peak power demand to double over the next five years from around 140,000 megawatts today. To help meet that demand, 100,000 MW of new capacity is to come from solar panels.

As for some of India's small panel makers, they are looking to complement the efforts of foreign players instead of trying to derail them. Foreign players making panels in India are expected to compete with local manufacturers to fulfil the domestic content requirements for government projects.