Does every solar inverter in India need an M2M SIM?

No. The M2M SIM requirement applies to inverters supplied under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Inverters sold outside the scheme are not covered by it, although MNRE has also urged state regulators to adopt M2M SIM-based monitoring.

Is Wi-Fi monitoring enough for PM Surya Ghar?

No. Dongles and dataloggers under the scheme must use M2M SIM communication. Wi-Fi and LAN remain useful for local access and configuration.

Where must inverter data be stored?

Inside India. The August 2026 directive requires monitoring data, software and control servers for PM Surya Ghar inverters to be hosted in India.

What has to be sent to the National Portal?

Daily cumulative generation for each inverter, linked to its serial number and sent through standard APIs, until state-level servers take over.

Can inverters already in the market be made compliant?

Yes, in most cases, with a plug-in M2M dongle that reads the inverter over RS485 using Modbus. Our assessment tells you which models can be retrofitted and which need a hardware change.

Which protocols are used?

MQTT between the device and the central platform, Modbus RTU or TCP between the device and the inverter, and DLMS for energy meters, all over TLS.

Are the datalogger firmware norms final?

The April 2026 firmware norms were issued as a draft for comments. We build to the current text and update devices over the air when the final version is published.

Is BIS certification part of this?

BIS registration is a separate requirement for solar inverters under the Solar Systems, Devices and Components Goods Order, 2025. We make the engineering changes and work with accredited labs, but it is a different process from PM Surya Ghar monitoring.

Who owns the hardware design and firmware?

You do. We build under your brand and hand over design files and source code.

With an engineering assessment of your inverter range. It shows exactly what is missing and the fastest way to close the gap.

Solar inverter monitoring and connectivity for PM Surya Ghar compliance

MNRE now requires inverters supplied under PM Surya Ghar to report through M2M SIM communication, connect to a central monitoring platform, send generation data to the National Portal and keep all data inside India. RIOD engineers the datalogger, firmware, secure connectivity and India-hosted cloud your inverters need, under your brand, so you stay eligible for the scheme.

Book an engineering assessment Request a compliance gap analysis

60+ engineers in Kerala building connected energy hardware, firmware and cloud
LTE IoT devices with IMEI-based identity already in production
10+ years of IoT product engineering

What changed for PM Surya Ghar inverter makers

In July 2025, MNRE told inverter manufacturers enlisted under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana to connect their inverter communication devices to the programme portal and to MNRE-designated monitoring software, using M2M SIM communication for dongles and dataloggers. Since then each step has made the requirement more specific.

In December 2025 MNRE finalised guidelines for secure, centralised monitoring of rooftop solar. Across March and April 2026 it set out how remote monitoring systems and dataloggers must identify themselves, communicate and store data, opened a testing platform, and published draft firmware norms for dataloggers. In August 2026 it required all inverter data, monitoring software and control servers under the scheme to be stored and run inside India, with manufacturers confirming compliance to REC Limited. Manufacturers that do not comply cannot install under the scheme.

Requirements at a glance

M2M SIM communication: Dongles and dataloggers connect over a cellular M2M SIM, not only the home Wi-Fi.
Device identity: Each device is identified by its IMEI and carries its own digital certificate.
Secure transport: TLS-encrypted communication over a private VPN, with message-level keys.
Standard protocols: MQTT to the central platform, Modbus RTU or TCP to the inverter, DLMS to the meter.
Data types: Periodic data, event-based alarms, and on-demand reads and commands.
Local storage: At least 60 days of time-stamped data on the device, sent automatically when the link returns.
Hardware interfaces: RS485 or RS232, LAN, Wi-Fi and 4G or 5G, with flash storage and a real-time clock.
Data in India: Monitoring data, software and control servers hosted in India.
National Portal reporting: Daily cumulative generation per inverter serial number through standard APIs.
Warranty: Datalogger warranty included in the inverter warranty.

These requirements apply to systems under PM Surya Ghar. Last reviewed: October 2026.

Who is affected

Inverter manufacturers enlisted under PM Surya Ghar, Indian and global brands alike
Brands that source inverters from other makers and sell them under their own name
Datalogger and dongle suppliers serving those brands
Rooftop solar vendors and EPC companies who install under the scheme and depend on compliant inverters

If your inverters already ship with a Wi-Fi stick that talks to a cloud outside India, you are likely to need changes to the hardware, the firmware and the cloud.

Where existing inverters usually fall short

No cellular link: Wi-Fi or Bluetooth only, with no slot for an M2M SIM.
No device identity: No IMEI, no per-device certificate, and nowhere secure to keep a private key.
Non-standard data: Each inverter family uses its own Modbus register map.
No local buffer: Data is lost when the network drops, and there is no real-time clock to time-stamp it.
Cloud abroad: The monitoring app and servers run outside India.
No portal link: No API to send daily generation per serial number to the National Portal.
No safe update path: Firmware cannot be updated remotely when the norms change.

What RIOD engineers for you

M2M SIM datalogger and dongle hardware

A compact 4G datalogger with an M2M SIM, RS485 or RS232 to the inverter, LAN and Wi-Fi for local access, flash storage, a real-time clock, IMEI-based identity and a QR code label. Designed as a plug-in dongle for inverters already in the market, or as a communication board built into your next model.

Datalogger firmware built to MNRE's norms

Modbus RTU and TCP polling with standard parameter mapping for single-phase and three-phase inverters, MQTT messaging to the central platform, periodic, event and on-demand data, local configuration over HTTP, token-based authentication, at least 60 days of local storage with automatic back-fill, and secure over-the-air updates. Where the norms are still in draft we build to the current text and update the firmware remotely when the final version is issued.

Secure connectivity and device certificates

TLS encryption, per-device certificates tied to each IMEI, secure key storage on the device, message-level keys, and private network connectivity arranged with licensed telecom operators for M2M SIMs. Every device that leaves your factory can prove who it is.

India-hosted monitoring cloud

A monitoring platform hosted in Indian data centres, with generation dashboards, alarms, device health and customer apps under your brand. It integrates with the central IoT SCADA platform and sends daily cumulative generation for every inverter serial number to the National Portal through the standard APIs.

Moving your existing fleet and cloud to India

If your inverters already report to servers abroad we plan and carry out the move: new endpoints pushed over the air, data migrated to Indian hosting, and devices that cannot be updated identified for a dongle swap.

Device management at scale

Remote configuration, diagnostics, firmware campaigns and permitted set-point changes for thousands of inverters, with a full log of every command and who sent it.

Testing and documentation support

We test your devices end to end against MNRE's requirements, support submission to MNRE's testing platform, and prepare the technical details MNRE and REC Limited ask for, including data centre locations and security measures. For BIS registration we make the engineering changes and coordinate with accredited test labs.

Retrofit dongle or built-in board?

Option	Best for	Trade-off
Plug-in M2M dongle	Inverters already in production or in the field	Fastest route to compliance, and one more part to stock and warrant
Built-in communication board	New inverter models and redesigns	Lower unit cost and a cleaner product, but it needs a design cycle
Both	Brands with a large installed base and a new model coming	Dongle now for current models, board for the next generation

How we work

Engineering assessment
We review your inverter's interfaces, register maps, current datalogger and cloud against the requirements, and give you a written gap analysis.
Design
Dongle or built-in board, firmware architecture, security design and cloud plan.
Build
Hardware, firmware, India-hosted cloud and National Portal integration.
Test
Protocol, security, storage and back-fill, and long-run field tests on your inverters.
Submission support
MNRE's testing platform, and the documentation MNRE and REC Limited ask for.
Production
Design for manufacturing, production test setup and SIM provisioning at the factory.
Ongoing support
Firmware updates as the norms evolve, cloud operations and device management.

What you get

Gap analysis of your inverter range against the PM Surya Ghar requirements
M2M SIM datalogger or built-in communication board, under your brand
Datalogger firmware with secure over-the-air updates
Per-device certificates and secure connectivity
India-hosted monitoring cloud with National Portal integration
Device management for your whole installed base
Test reports and documentation for MNRE and REC Limited
Full design files and source code

Why RIOD

RIOD Logic has spent more than ten years building connected hardware, firmware and cloud platforms, with more than 60 engineers at our Kerala base. We design LTE devices with IMEI-based identity, modem firmware, secure over-the-air updates and production test systems, and we have delivered connected infrastructure for a municipality in India. We understand energy hardware from the inside, because we also design and build our own PowerPod EV chargers. The products we build for you carry your brand, not ours.

Frequently asked questions

Does every solar inverter in India need an M2M SIM?: No. The M2M SIM requirement applies to inverters supplied under PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana. Inverters sold outside the scheme are not covered by it, although MNRE has also urged state regulators to adopt M2M SIM-based monitoring.
Is Wi-Fi monitoring enough for PM Surya Ghar?: No. Dongles and dataloggers under the scheme must use M2M SIM communication. Wi-Fi and LAN remain useful for local access and configuration.
Where must inverter data be stored?: Inside India. The August 2026 directive requires monitoring data, software and control servers for PM Surya Ghar inverters to be hosted in India.
What has to be sent to the National Portal?: Daily cumulative generation for each inverter, linked to its serial number and sent through standard APIs, until state-level servers take over.
Can inverters already in the market be made compliant?: Yes, in most cases, with a plug-in M2M dongle that reads the inverter over RS485 using Modbus. Our assessment tells you which models can be retrofitted and which need a hardware change.
Which protocols are used?: MQTT between the device and the central platform, Modbus RTU or TCP between the device and the inverter, and DLMS for energy meters, all over TLS.
Are the datalogger firmware norms final?: The April 2026 firmware norms were issued as a draft for comments. We build to the current text and update devices over the air when the final version is published.
Is BIS certification part of this?: BIS registration is a separate requirement for solar inverters under the Solar Systems, Devices and Components Goods Order, 2025. We make the engineering changes and work with accredited labs, but it is a different process from PM Surya Ghar monitoring.
Who owns the hardware design and firmware?: You do. We build under your brand and hand over design files and source code.
Where do we start?: With an engineering assessment of your inverter range. It shows exactly what is missing and the fastest way to close the gap.

Keep your inverters eligible for PM Surya Ghar

Book an engineering assessment and get a clear gap analysis for your inverter range.

Book an engineering assessment