Wind Energy in India: Growth, Potential, and Leading Regions

India’s journey with wind energy is one of the more compelling stories in the global renewable transition. From a handful of 55-kilowatt turbines installed along its coastlines in the mid-1980s to over 50 gigawatts of installed capacity today, the country has built one of the world’s largest wind power sectors – largely driven by strong coastlines, high-wind plateaus, and a clear policy push to move away from fossil fuels. India now ranks fourth globally in installed wind power capacity, and the sector continues to grow at a notable pace.

Historical development of wind power in India
Current wind energy capacity and leading states
Gujarat
Tamil Nadu
Maharashtra and other key states
Future prospects and government initiatives
Offshore wind development
Repowering old turbines
Grid integration and green energy corridors

Historical development of wind power in India

The roots of India’s wind energy programme trace back to the early 1950s, when the government first explored wind’s potential to pump water for irrigation. Electricity generation from wind, however, is a more recent undertaking. Large-scale development formally began in 1985 with a 40 kW grid-connected turbine in Veraval, Gujarat, installed as a joint venture between the Gujarat Energy Development Agency (GEDA) and J K Synthetics Ltd. While that machine’s performance was modest, it proved that wind turbines could be technically integrated into India’s grid.

The following year marked a significant step forward. In 1986, demonstration wind farms were established in the coastal areas of Maharashtra (Ratnagiri), Gujarat (Okha), and Tamil Nadu (Tirunelveli), each equipped with 55 kW Vestas turbines and supported by what is now the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE). These weren’t large projects by modern standards, but they served a critical purpose – demonstrating feasibility across different geographies and laying the groundwork for private investment.

By 1986, five wind farms had been commissioned with a combined capacity of 3.3 MW. The first commercial wind power generation followed in 1990 at Kattadilalai, Muppandal in Tamil Nadu. Through the early 1990s, turbine installations spread across the coastal regions of Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Odisha. India’s alternative energy programme to produce electricity from wind gained real momentum in the late 1990s, with Tamil Nadu leading early capacity additions – recording 282 MW of new installations in 1995-96 alone.

Post-1996, growth became more consistent as private sector participation grew and fiscal incentives kicked in. The government promoted wind projects through accelerated depreciation benefits, concessional customs duty exemptions on key components, and a Generation Based Incentive (GBI) scheme that was available for projects commissioned before March 2017. These measures attracted both domestic and foreign investment and helped India build a manufacturing base capable of producing around 18,000 MW of turbine capacity annually.

Current wind energy capacity and leading states

India’s total cumulative installed wind capacity stood at 50.04 GW as of March 31, 2025, with that figure rising further to 53.99 GW by November 2025 – a growth of over 12.5% compared to the same period in 2024. Wind power currently accounts for close to 10% of India’s total installed utility power generation capacity, generating 80.27 TWh in fiscal year 2024-25, which is nearly 4.43% of total electricity generation.

Wind resources in India are concentrated in the southern, western, and northwestern regions, where coastal geography and elevated plateaus create strong, consistent airflows. A small cluster of states dominates the sector.

Gujarat

Gujarat has emerged as India’s top wind energy state. It holds around 26% of the country’s total installed wind power capacity, with 12.5 GW out of 48.16 GW (as of end-2024), having surpassed Tamil Nadu in cumulative installations by mid-2023. The state’s aggressive investment environment – backed by significant MoUs signed at the Vibrant Gujarat Summits – has driven capacity to grow nearly ten times over a six-year period. Gujarat is also the focus of India’s first planned offshore wind project, with an estimated 36 GW of offshore wind potential off its coastline alone.

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu was historically the pioneer of wind power in India and remains among the top producers. Wind energy generation in the state began in 1986 with small-capacity machines ranging from 55 kW to 250 kW, and 110 turbines totalling 17.355 MW were commissioned between 1985 and 1992 in collaboration with Denmark’s Danida Energy Agency. The state is home to the Muppandal Wind Farm in Kanyakumari district – the largest operational onshore wind farm in India, with an installed capacity of over 1,500 MW. Tamil Nadu’s cumulative capacity stood at just under 10 GW as of early 2023, and the state also holds significant offshore wind potential of around 35 GW off its coast.

Maharashtra and other key states

Maharashtra has been a consistent contributor since the earliest demonstration projects in Ratnagiri. It ranks second in repowering potential after Tamil Nadu, with around 400 MW of older turbines suitable for replacement with more efficient models – a process that can double or triple energy output. Beyond these three states, Karnataka, Rajasthan, and Andhra Pradesh have all seen significant capacity additions. As of mid-2024, Gujarat led cumulative capacity, followed by Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, with Rajasthan and Maharashtra rounding out the top five.

Future prospects and government initiatives

India’s wind energy ambitions are firmly embedded in its broader clean energy strategy. Wind energy capacity has increased 2.5 times – from 21 GW in 2014 to over 52 GW by mid-2025 – and India is targeting an expansion to 99.9 GW by 2029-30. This sits within the larger national goal of reaching 500 GW of total renewable energy capacity by 2030, a target India committed to at COP26 in Glasgow.

On tariffs, wind power has become increasingly cost-competitive. The levelised tariff reached a record low of ₹2.43 per kWh during wind project auctions in December 2017 – achieved without any direct subsidies. While tariffs have since moved slightly higher to ₹3.17 per kWh in 2023, wind power remains cheaper than coal-based generation in many states, making the economic case for expansion compelling.

Offshore wind development

One of the most significant emerging policy areas is offshore wind. In June 2024, the Union Cabinet approved a ₹74 billion Viability Gap Funding (VGF) programme for 1 GW of offshore wind projects – 500 MW off Gujarat’s coast and 500 MW off Tamil Nadu’s coast. This financial support is intended to bridge the cost gap that currently makes offshore development more expensive than onshore. India’s government has also identified a National Offshore Wind Energy Policy, with areas carrying nearly 71 GW of potential at 100 metres hub height earmarked for development.

Repowering old turbines

With many of India’s earliest turbines now over 30 years old, repowering – replacing ageing equipment with modern, higher-capacity machines – is a growing priority. Early wind turbines have a plant load factor of 10-15%, while latest-generation machines can achieve 30-35%, meaning repowering a single site can effectively double or triple its energy output. In December 2023, MNRE revised its 2016 repowering policy to make it easier to replace older turbines at high-resource sites.

Grid integration and green energy corridors

The Green Energy Corridor project, sanctioned in 2015-16, aims to synchronise renewable electricity – including wind – with conventional power on the national grid. It covers eight renewable-rich states including Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh, with a target of evacuating 20,000 MW of large-scale renewable energy. Grid connectivity, land acquisition, and right-of-way challenges remain the key bottlenecks to faster growth, but the infrastructure push is steadily addressing them.

India’s wind sector is also developing a stronger domestic manufacturing base. The country has achieved 51.5 GW of wind capacity through 150% growth in a decade and is now exporting turbines and components globally. Combined with 100% FDI allowed under the automatic route for renewable energy projects, the sector is well-positioned to attract continued international investment.

From early coastal pilot projects in 1986 to a 50+ GW sector that powers millions of homes, India’s wind energy journey reflects sustained policy commitment and industrial scaling. The next decade – with offshore expansion, repowering, and deeper grid integration – promises to be even more transformative for what is already one of the world’s most dynamic wind energy markets.

What do you think? Given that Gujarat and Tamil Nadu together account for roughly half of India’s installed wind capacity, should future policy prioritise expanding into newer states like Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, or focus on deepening capacity – through repowering and offshore development – in existing wind-rich regions? And with wind tariffs having fallen dramatically over the past decade, do you think cost alone is enough to drive India’s wind sector to its 99.9 GW target by 2030, or are grid and land challenges the bigger barrier?

References

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Table of Contents

Historical development of wind power in India 🔗

Current wind energy capacity and leading states 🔗

Gujarat 🔗

Tamil Nadu 🔗

Maharashtra and other key states 🔗

Future prospects and government initiatives 🔗

Offshore wind development 🔗

Repowering old turbines 🔗

Grid integration and green energy corridors 🔗