The Snowball in the World’ s Hottest OW-Spot

Now, let me explain this weird talk about snow and snowballs.

In Norway, we have a saying: Når snøballen først begynner å rulle... (When the snowball first starts to roll...). It’s the classic metaphor for momentum. A small, cold core that grows into an unstoppable, landscape-altering force.

And in this article you'll understand why that metaphor fits India like a glove.

While India is still in the early stages of offshore wind development, the potential volume is, frankly, enormous. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi puts it, this transition is the new frontier for the private sector:

Chasing the 30 GW "Avalanche"

For European offshore veterans used to the North Sea’s frigid winds, India’s climate might be different, but the industrial logic is familiar. The Indian government has set a target that would make any developer sit up: 30 GW of offshore projects by 2030. To get this snowball moving, the Union Cabinet recently approved a ₹7,453 crore (~900 M USD) Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme. Think of it as the "initial push" to get the ball past the friction of the first few projects.

Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for New & Renewable Energy, is clear that the momentum is building:

Our national goals are ambitious and clear: 50 per cent of our power capacity from non-fossil fuel sources by 2030, and a net zero India by 2070. We are moving steadily... backed by strong policy reforms and a robust manufacturing ecosystem.

The "Tamil Nadu First" Logic

If you’re looking for where the snowball will gain the most speed, look at Tamil Nadu. Recent LiDAR data shows wind resources with a Capacity Utilisation Factor (CUF) of 45–50%. In layman's terms: the wind there is world-class.

However, as any Norwegian knows, a snowball needs a smooth path. Early tender cancellations in 2025 showed that the "slope" needed some grooming — specifically regarding revenue certainty and grid interfaces. But the lessons have been learned, and the upcoming 2026 auctions are designed to be much more "investor-friendly."

Lars Ulverud, Partner at ITN COBO Advisors, observes that the pace is already defying expectations:

India is moving faster than expected toward its 2070 net-zero target. Although coal still accounts for around half of India’s electricity generation, the foundations are now being laid for the first phase of a large-scale offshore wind industry, opening up interesting opportunities for the Norwegian offshore wind sector.

Tropical Winds, Norwegian Tech

This is where the Norwegian and European supply chains come in. India has the ambition and the scale, but Europe has the "skis"—the specialized installation vessels, subsea cabling expertise, and the digital O&M systems needed to survive in a marine environment (even if the water is significantly warmer).

“This is the right moment for Norwegian companies across the value chain to deepen their market understanding, position their capabilities, and build strong partnerships in India,” says Ulverud. “We look forward to turning this momentum into practical insights.”

Don’t Get Left in the Cold (or the Heat)

So, what happens when the snowball starts to roll in a country of 1.4 billion people? It becomes an avalanche of opportunity. Whether you are a developer like Equinor or a service provider looking for the next big installation campaign, you don’t want to be standing at the bottom of the hill wondering what just happened.

To help you understand the terrain, the risks, and the massive rewards, we are hosting a deep-dive webinar. We promise to skip the weather reports and focus on the hard data.

Webinar: Navigating the Indian Offshore Wind Market

• Date: March 10, 2026
• Focus: VGF funding, Tamil Nadu auction designs, and how to find the right Indian partner.
• See the program, the speakers and register.