The move is intended to underpin creation of a local supply-chain for India's booming windmill power  sector. A draft of proposed new rules issued by India’s Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) says the 15MW maximum will allow wind turbines manufacturers to test turbine models under Indian operating conditions.

But any new machine installed above this level without an "adequate" manufacturing base in India will be “uprooted at the owner’s cost” and subject to heavy penalties, say the draft rules.

The new guidelines – which would come into force on 1 January 2012 – are being drawn up ahead of India’s 12th five-year economic plan, which begins next year.

“In view of the high level of technological maturity and huge untapped wind power generator potential....there is a need to create market-enabling environment to promote [a] large number of manufacturers in the country,” the draft says.

The MNRE document also specifies four international certification programmes that will be accepted in addition to the domestic scheme run by the country’s Centre for Wind Energy Technology (C-WET).

MNRE has invited comment on the draft up to 29 September before final guidelines are issued.

India had a record 12 months for new wind energy installations in 2010, with 2.1GW of new capacity added to reach a total of just over 13GW at the end of the year.

Anticipation of local production requirements has seen Chinese wind generator  manufacturers scrambling to set up a base in India.