India, Jan. 20 -- India's clean energy addition topped 45GW in 2025, with round-the-clock renewable energy tenders floated by parties that included the Indian Railways. This interest in dispatchable, 24X7 renewable energy also comes at a time when globally, expanding clean energy consumption will be key to locking-in energy security. India thus has the opportunity to cater to much beyond its own borders. Yet, to achieve this, it must move to a fully-integrated clean technology manufacturing ecosystem that is supported by reforms to Ease of Doing Business (EODB). The two are essential to India graduating from merely being a deployer of technologies to one that is proficient in cleantech manufacturing and product development, and by virtue of its regulatory environment, attracts top-tier collaborations that make Indian products synonymous with quality. An independent analysis in 2020 suggested that, in general, it took 68 days to register a business in India at a cost of ~7.4% of the registered property's value. This was adjudged to be much longer and costlier when compared to some high-income Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OCED) countries. Also, it was stated that a commercial dispute would take an average of 1,445 days (~four years) to be resolved - nearly three times the time it took in the OECD. Long-term, this would have been a deterrent to driving both the country's startup ecosystem and attracting FDIs. A series of changes were thus instituted, including the Jan Vishwas-style compliance reforms and decriminalisation of minor business offences, GST rationalisation, single-window clearances, smoother customs and logistics regulation, expedited electricity connections, and leaning upon the strengths of the timebound resolution framework mandated by the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (2016). Consequently, India jumped 79 positions by 2019 to rank 63rd out of 190 countries on the global EODB index (from 142nd in 2014). With the US having backed out of the Paris Agreement a second time and growing South-South cooperation, India has the opportunity to manufacture for export markets as well. This is particularly important, since fellow Global South countries, such as South Africa, Kenya, Chile and Vietnam are keen to pursue renewable energy and e-mobility at scale and build a green hydrogen ecosystem, for which they will need quality supplies at highly competitive rates. There are also market access opportunities for India to export cleantech components to South Korea, Japan, the UK, Australia and potentially the EU, when the FTAs get finalised. Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh are thus already wooing cleantech manufacturers with sector-tailored packages that combine generous capital support (in some cases up to ~40%), concessional land, single-window approvals and policy-linked support for emerging areas like green hydrogen. Together they are expected to spur domestic cleantech manufacturing, but EODB iterations must follow suit. A key enabler for cleantech manufacturing would be long-term demand trajectories. For instance, by 2040 India could commit to 1500 GW of installed solar and wind energy capacity and 80% new vehicle sales from EVs - with 100% EV penetration in freight and public transit. Also, it could mandate that the CEA's projection of 2380 GWh of energy storage requirement by 2047 be met seven years in advance. Meeting such targets would necessitate innovations by the manufacturers, but also a more supportive business environment that eases the setting up of new manufacturing clusters and co-located testing and certification bodies. Enabling this would minimise a product's time-to-market, and ensure that it meets the global standards of quality and life-cycle emissions (in cases such as EVs, steel and cement). Additional reforms would be the smoothening out of uneven regulations to enable manufacturers to operate across state borders and scale-up their operations, ensuring clarity of jurisdictions across government departments (to minimise delays due to overlaps), and securing the supplies of critical minerals and components. Most importantly, EODB reforms must be dynamic. This means having a regular and frank engagement with the manufacturers and the investors to assess if the reforms are having an impact. Thus, let us be mindful of the potential that lies ahead and calibrate our reforms accordingly. As more green finance is unlocked, a more supportive business environment would truly elevate India's manufacturing prowess and in the process, help it capture global markets as well....