Kolkata-based NavPrakriti, Eastern India’s first large-scale lithium-ion battery recycling and refurbishment company, has unveiled an aggressive expansion plan to partner with more than 150 battery companies and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) over the next three years. 

 

The move aims to create a nationwide collection, recycling and refurbishment network for spent batteries, using advanced technology and industry partnerships to deliver safe, efficient and environmentally responsible battery management across the value chain.

 

The strategy places NavPrakriti at the centre of India’s push to build a robust, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)-led battery recycling ecosystem—an essential pillar of the country’s clean energy transition and decarbonisation roadmap. The announcement comes close on the heels of the company commissioning Eastern India’s first advanced lithium-ion battery recycling facility.

 

The timing is critical. Industry estimates show India’s lithium battery demand is expected to skyrocket from just 4 gigawatt-hours (GWh) in 2023 to 139 GWh by 2035. While electric vehicles are a major driver, the surge is also being fuelled by renewable energy projects and the rapid rollout of battery energy storage systems (BESS) to support India’s Net Zero target by 2070.

 

But the boom carries a mounting waste challenge. In 2022, lithium-ion batteries alone contributed an estimated 700,000 tonnes to India’s 1.6 million metric tonnes of e-waste. Despite being the world’s third-largest e-waste generator, India recycled only about 40 per cent of this waste last year, highlighting the urgent need for scalable, compliant recycling infrastructure.

 

To address this gap, the government rolled out the Battery Waste Management Rules (BWMR) in 2022, placing EPR at the core of battery waste policy. Under the framework, producers must finance and ensure the collection and recycling of batteries through authorised recyclers. 

 

The Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) has reinforced this system with a digital EPR portal that tracks e-waste from production to disposal, connects manufacturers with registered recyclers and enables EPR credit-based incentives, while also setting a minimum floor price to protect recycler investments.

 

Akhilesh Bagaria, Founder, NavPrakriti, said, “Our aim is to set a new benchmark for responsible battery recycling in India, fully aligned with the government’s vision for a circular and self-reliant economy. By partnering with battery manufacturers and OEMs nationwide, we’re not just managing waste, we’re helping to close the loop on critical raw materials, boost India’s clean energy ambitions, and accelerate the country’s EPR journey.”

 

NavPrakriti’s approach dovetails with the Government of India’s National Critical Mineral Mission (NCMM) and the BWMR 2022, framing battery recycling as a new “mining frontier” for the green economy. With stricter hazardous waste and EPR regulations scheduled to kick in from 2026, the company says its investments in digital tracking, compliance and reporting systems position it to lead in the next phase of regulation.

 

Founded in 2024, NavPrakriti operates from Kolkata with a mission to help India transition to a circular, self-reliant battery economy. Its current facility can process up to 1,000 tonnes of used batteries per month—a capacity that can be doubled as demand grows.

 

The plant focuses on recovering aluminium and copper, while producing intermediary materials rich in nickel, cobalt, manganese and lithium. 

 

NavPrakriti is preparing for hydrometallurgical refining and plans to move into battery-grade chemical recovery and refurbishment, enabling second-life batteries for residential and industrial use. The goal is clear: turn end-of-life batteries into feedstock for the next generation of cells and reduce India’s dependence on imported critical minerals.