China dominates offshore wind with OceanX, as global rivals face setbacks.
India targets 30 GW by 2030 but lacks infrastructure and technology.
High costs and missing supply chains delay India’s offshore wind rollout.
China, with its most powerful floating wind turbine—the OceanX—anchored off Guangdong, symbolises China’s dominance in offshore wind, an industry facing financial and political setbacks in Europe, Japan and the US, according to Bloomberg. China is working to make the best use of this opportunity with turbine makers including Goldwind Science & Technology and Ming Yang Smart Energy Group which built OceanX, increasingly looking to compete internationally.
This raises urgent questions for India and its efforts to keep pace in the clean energy race.
India’s Offshore Lag
According to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), India has an installed wind energy capacity of 52.14 GW as of July 31, 2025, ranking fourth globally. However, this capacity is entirely onshore. States like Tamil Nadu (11.8 GW), Gujarat (13.8 GW) and Maharashtra (5.3 GW) lead the sector, according to MNRE data.
While India is pursuing its clean energy goals, the gap between ambition and on-ground execution due to land constraints, transmission issues and delayed auctions remains a concern for the country’s renewable energy sector, as reported by Economic Times.
The MNRE has set a target of 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, with Gujarat and Tamil Nadu identified for early projects. Yet, despite inviting bids for offshore wind projects in 2023, no offshore farm is operational today. The government has plans to launch offshore wind energy bids totalling 4 GW in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu.
According to a 2024 report by Ember, a UK-based energy think tank, Solar Energy Corporation of India announced a tender for allocation of seabed lease rights for 4 GW offshore wind power projects in Tamil Nadu in February 2024. Later in September 2024 another tender was announced to build 500 MW offshore wind projects in Gujarat.
However, lack of detailed seabed surveys, absence of transmission evacuation plans and poor financial incentives have hindered the progress, as reported by The Hindu BusinessLine.
Offshore Wind Potential
According to a 2021 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), India has a coastline of about 7,600 km with strong and steady wind speeds, especially off the coasts of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. According to the 2024 Ember report, tapping even a fraction of this offshore potential could diversify the energy mix and reduce pressure on land resources by improving grid stability.
Generation of wind power in India also follows a seasonal complementarity. For instance, the strong southwest monsoon wind causes an increase in wind generation during the monsoon season (June–September) whereas a decrease in solar generation is observed due to monsoon cloud cover, reflecting higher seasonal synergies.
In addition, as stated in a 2025 ScienceDirect study, a scientific research database, offshore turbines, particularly floating ones, can be positioned farther into the ocean where wind speeds are more reliable because they are much greater over the ocean surface than over land. This makes them suitable for supplying electricity to port cities and coastal industrial clusters.
Why India is Behind—Technology and Infrastructure Gaps
While China’s companies like Ming Yang build and export giant turbines like OceanX with support from over 30 domestic suppliers, as per Bloomberg, India lacks both floating wind technology and local industrial capacity. Manufacturers like Suzlon and Inox Wind primarily serve the onshore market.
The maintenance costs are significantly higher than onshore. According to a 2023 report by Bridge to India, a renewable energy consultancy and research firm, offshore turbines have higher operation and maintenance costs—around ₹2.5 to ₹3 crore per MW annually. A 2023 report by the MNRE titled Strategy Paper for Establishment of Offshore Wind Energy Projects acknowledged the lack of infrastructure such as vessels, ports, trained labour and submarine cables—all vital for offshore wind development.
Where India is Investing More: Solar, Not Wind
As per the MNRE, India plans to reach 500 GW of clean energy with 280 GW of solar power by 2030, far outpacing wind ambitions. Programmes like PM-Kusum, Solar Rooftop and Production Linked Incentives for solar modules show a clear policy inclination. According to the IEA, solar now makes up over 55% of India’s total renewable pipeline.
The Global Wind Energy Council’s Global Offshore Wind Report 2024 estimated that 3% of Asia-Pacific offshore wind capacity between 2024 and 2033 will be located in India, which is also expected to gradually emerge as a hub for offshore wind manufacturing.
To achieve its offshore wind energy ambitions India must make substantial investments in manufacturing and infrastructure capabilities. Without coordinated policy support, industrial investment and infrastructure development India risks falling behind in the global offshore wind sector, which is vital for enhancing its energy security, grid resilience and climate targets.
