Adani Solar seeks visas for vendors' Chinese workers

Company cites lack of Indian expertise

- SHREYA JAI & AMRITHA PILLAY

The solar manufacturing business of the Adani Group is learnt to have sought the Union government's approval to bring close to 30 engineers from China. These engineers could help build a robust and indigenous supply chain of solar equipment for the infrastructure-to-mining glomerate.

The company, in its submissions, has mentioned eight foreign partners all from China which are original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and supply chain vendors. According to the documents reviewed by Business Standard, the company has imported Chinese equipment worth 591 crore in the financial year 2021-22 and 180 crore in 2022-23.

Mundra Solar Technology Ltd (MSTL), the solar manufacturing unit run by Adani Solar, has a target to build 10 gigawatt (Gw) of integrated solar manufacturing capacity by 2027.

The factory is being set up in Kutch, Gujarat, at an investment of 25,114 crore, according to the company's communication with the government. MSTL is also a winner under the production linked incentive (PLI) scheme of the Centre. Under the PLI scheme, it will set up 4 Gw of solar module manufacturing. Its ingot, wafer, and cell (components of solar module/panel) manufacturing is non-PLI.

In February, Adani Solar sought visas for 15 Chinese nationals to be employed in its solar manufacturing unit. In March, it requested visas to 13 more Chinese nationals.