India Bans Non-DCR Solar Panels: Everything You Need to Know Before June 2026
"Wait, so I can't buy the panel my cousin got installed last year?" That's the question we hear almost daily at Kondaas right now. If you've been researching rooftop solar in Tamil Nadu or Kerala over the past month, chances are you've run into the term non-DCR solar panel ban somewhere a WhatsApp forward, a YouTube comment, or a quote from an installer that suddenly looks different from what you expected. Let's clear up the confusion and walk through exactly what changed, who it affects, and what you should do next. What Actually Changed on June 1, 2026? Starting June 1, 2026, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) made it mandatory that solar cells used in subsidy-linked, government-backed, and grid-connected projects must appear on ALMM List-II, the list of domestically manufactured, certified solar cells. This is the rule people are loosely calling a "ban." Here's the distinction that matters most: it isn't a nationwide ...