India is setting its sights on designing and manufacturing smart meter chips domestically by 2030 as the government attempts to reduce dependence on imports and bolster self-reliance in the power sector, according to Power Secretary Pankaj Agarwal.

The government is meeting with chip developers and smart meter manufacturers, who are expected to begin commercial production once the chips complete validation. Agrawal said smart meter chips currently cost between $8 and $10 apiece.

Speaking at the second Indian Power Sector Conference organized by FICCI in New Delhi, Agarwal said the government has already introduced a “Make in India” requirement covering the design and fabrication of smart metering chips. He added that government procurement would create a market for domestically produced chips and support the development of local manufacturing capacity.

Agarwal also stressed the need to build a domestic technology and manufacturing ecosystem for critical power-sector equipment, such as circuit breakers and transformers. Manufacturers currently have to wait up to three years for circuit breakers and 18–24 months for transformers, he noted.

The power secretary called for greater focus on designing, developing and manufacturing power-sector technologies and equipment in India, while also building capabilities for global markets. Agarwal said India should take advantage of the current phase of investment to develop domestic capabilities in areas including digitalization, automation, advanced control systems, SCADA, electronics, sensors, and other critical technologies.

SCADA systems monitor and control power networks across generation, transmission and distribution.

“The larger opportunity before us is: Design in India, develop in India and manufacture in India. We can learn from global experience and adopt proven technologies, but we must also use that experience to build our own capabilities,” Agarwal said.

When it comes to grid security, Agarwal called for greater investment in domestic capacity and measures to address potential “kill switches”. He also highlighted the scope to expand Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems from the existing 19 software platforms to 38.

Agarwal also called for changes in transmission planning to improve efficiency and avoid duplication. He said the sector should consider multi-circuit transmission lines where appropriate and develop 1,100 kV systems to meet India’s future power requirements.

Rather than directly adopting models developed in Europe, he further called for right-of-way solutions tailored to India’s geography since transmission distances are generally shorter.

Policy changes have been introduced to slowly phase out the inter-state transmission system (ISTS) waiver, the power secretary said.