The Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) has notified new design requirements for offshore wind turbines, blades, and tower and foundation structures, in line with International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards, according to two government officials aware of the development.
The new standards aim to establish clear benchmarks for the design, testing and installation of key components of wind energy systems, particularly in offshore conditions where operational risks are higher.
“These norms would ensure structural safety, improve quality control and enhance the reliability of wind installations,” said one of the two officials.
“By aligning with IEC-based standards, the move ensures global compatibility and is expected to facilitate greater participation from international players, while supporting technology transfer and investment in the sector,” the official added.
This comes as India pushes to scale up its offshore wind sector, which has an estimated potential of 70 gigawatts (GW), enough to power nearly 70 million households. The country aims to auction about 37GW of offshore capacity by 2029-30.
Offshore wind projects cost around ₹15- ₹20 crore per megawatt (MW), significantly higher than ₹7- ₹8 crore per MW for onshore projects, due to the need for seabed infrastructure and transmission systems. However, offshore projects offer higher energy generation.
The push is significant as India, among the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters after the US and China, seeks to lower tariffs by leveraging scale along its 11,098-kilometre coastline. Land acquisition challenges have also slowed onshore wind expansion, adding urgency to offshore development.
Alignment with global standards
“Given the potential for energy generation from offshore wind, the standards have been established to align India’s framework with global norms,” said the second official. Both officials spoke on the condition of anonymity.
With India becoming a key destination for energy generation and global players showing keen interest, these standards will help provide regulatory clarity, improve project execution, and attract greater investment into the sector.
“The policy alignment would help leading offshore wind players explore opportunities in India, supported by a more conducive business environment and clearer regulatory framework,” the second official added.
Queries emailed to the BIS and the department of consumer affairs remained unanswered.
Experts stressed the government should also focus on collecting proper data. “Even in the case of the foundation structure, wind load, tidal load and wave load need to be calculated for offshore wind, which is lacking. There is a need for looking through multiple angles to get investor interest and boost the sector," said M.P. Rakesh, former executive director of National Institute of Wind Energy, a research and development institute under the Union ministry of new and renewable energy.
“Standards are required, and the European standards have already set the benchmark. India can base its standards on these global standards and also improve on those, which will be very helpful. Further, in line with the IECRE certification, India should come up with a certification to match the global standards,” he said.
IECRE is a conformity assessment system based on international standards prepared by the IEC for equipment and services used in renewable energy applications.
“Global players, particularly leading European utilities, are already exploring partnerships and conducting feasibility assessments. As India continues to align its regulatory framework with global standards on seabed leasing, permitting, and grid connectivity, execution risks will decrease, and project bankability will strengthen,” Vineet Bhatia, executive director, Grant Thornton Bharat, said.
Collectively, these developments position India as an increasingly credible and attractive destination for offshore wind investment, he added.
India’s offshore wind push dates back to the National Offshore Wind Energy Policy notified in 2015, which provides a framework for developing projects within the country’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), extending up to 200 nautical miles from the coastline. Preliminary studies have identified strong potential, particularly off the coasts of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu, where multiple zones have been earmarked for development.
However, progress has been uneven. A 500MW offshore wind tender for the Gulf of Khambhat, in the Arabian Sea on the coast of Gujarat, floated by the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) in September 2024, was cancelled in August 2025. The Centre had earlier scrapped a larger 4GW seabed leasing tender off Tamil Nadu, issued in February 2024.