India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) is organising the two-day 4th India Battery Manufacturing & Supply Chain Summit from January 15 and 16, 2025, in New Delhi and a pre-conference to Bharat Mobility 2025.

Supported by the Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) and the Government of Odisha, this International Summit aims to create new partnership opportunities and devise a roadmap for the Battery Manufacturing and Supply Chain industry.

Addressing the event, Vijay Mittal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries said, “The Ministry of Heavy Industries has been actively seeking input from industry experts to develop policies that can catalyze our collective mission. These policies aim to provide the necessary support through incentives, technical aid, and research and development, enabling the Indian industry to achieve its ambitious goals. The journey for Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC) began ahead of schedule this time. While we faced some challenges due to this early start, the significant advantage is the heightened awareness of battery cells, their raw materials, and related technologies in our country.”

The Ministry is currently developing a concept note aimed at bringing policymakers together to agree on specific schemes that will support the manufacturing of components. This support will involve financial systems, policy regulations, and ease of doing business. “…I believe it’s important to mention the role of recycling in completing the cycle we’ve been discussing. Since we may not have sufficient lithium resources, ensuring that lithium remains in the country through recycling and is reused in batteries could be a significant breakthrough for our self-reliance in cell manufacturing,” Mittal added.

Vikram Handa, MD, EAM & Chair, India Battery Manufacturing & Supply Chain says, “We look forward to the industry coming forward to explore strategic partnerships and investments in the EV Battery Supply Chain. Epsilon Advanced Materials is contributing to this vision with plans for 200,000 tons of anode manufacturing capacity across India, the US, and Europe, and a 100,000 ton Cathode plant in India by 2030.”

Sriram Ramakrishnan, President-Battery and Energy Systems, Reliance New Energy emphasised, “India is poised to become one of the top three global economies, and our per capita electricity consumption will continue to rise. It is expected that electricity will account for over 35% of our energy mix by 2047, with renewables playing a significantly larger role in that mix. Currently, about 15-20% of our electricity generation comes from renewable sources, and projections suggest that this could reach 75-85% by 2047.”

Debi Prasad Dash, President, IESA mentioned that IESA is currently working with 60+ battery and component manufacturers and submitted industry requirements to the Ministry on creating a social incentive program for Battery component manufacturing. Hope the upcoming budget will bring a new support scheme for the battery manufacturing ecosystem.