Recent Developments and Challenges in Solar Energy Utilization in India

India's shift to renewable energy has sped up significantly over the last ten years. This has made the country one of the leaders in solar power development worldwide. By early 2025, India's installed solar capacity surpassed 75.4 GW, playing a key role in the country's renewable energy mix. This paper offers an analysis of recent technological, economic, and institutional changes in India's solar energy sector. It also examines challenges to large-scale deployment and suggests policy and technical measures to support sustainable growth. Using data from MNRE, IEA, IRENA, and peer-reviewed studies, this research combines trends in capacity growth, regional potential, cost changes, environmental effects, and grid integration challenges. It ends with recommendations to boost domestic manufacturing, improve storage solutions, and strengthen institutional capacity to achieve India's solar targets for 2030.