As India navigates the complex "Energy Trilemma" of security, equity, and sustainability, the transition toward a solar-centric energy regime—termed the "Sunshine Path"—has emerged as a strategic imperative. This paper critically evaluates the role of solar energy as a primary catalyst for achieving India’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its "Net Zero 2070" commitments. Adopting a systematic qualitative-descriptive research design, this study synthesizes longitudinal secondary data (2015–2026) from the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), the International Energy Agency (IEA), and peer-reviewed academic repositories. A SWOT analysis framework is employed to assess the socio-technical landscape of India's renewable energy transition. The research identifies that while India’s solar capacity crossed the 135 GW mark by late 2025 and LCOE reached record lows (₹1.99–2.50/unit), significant bottlenecks remain in grid resilience, specifically the "Duck Curve" phenomenon and the scarcity of domestic upstream manufacturing for polysilicon cells. However, decentralized applications such as PM-KUSUM for solar-powered irrigation and rooftop solar for MSMEs are proving transformative for rural energy justice and socio-economic empowerment. The study concludes that India’s "Sunshine Path" requires a shift from a "capacity-driven" model to a "storage-centric" and "circular" framework. Strategic recommendations include the acceleration of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), the implementation of rigorous Solar E-waste management policies, and the promotion of "Agrivoltaics" to resolve land-acquisition conflicts. This work provides a roadmap for policymakers to bridge the gap between technical potential and supply-chain sovereignty.