New Delhi, Jan. 16 -- For decades, pushing out exports has been China's top priority. A fifth of the economy is driven by exports, which have come under pressure of late as China-US relations have soured. To keep the export engine purring through the on-again-off-again trade war, domestic manufacturing has been heavily subsidized.

China's solar exports are no exception. They enjoy rebates that translate to discounts of 9-13%, according to Arihant Capital. But now, concerns around profitability and domestic self-sufficiency have taken centre stage. China announced on 9 January that its rebates on photovoltaic products would be removed, and those on batteries would be cut from 9% to 6% starting 1 April 2026 before being phased out entirely...