India is set to expand policy support for battery recycling and advanced chemistry cells (ACC) as the country’s energy storage ecosystem moves into a new era of growth.

 

This was announced by Vijay Mittal, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) at the 12th India Energy Storage Week (IESW) 2026 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi.

 

Addressing industry leaders at the flagship energy storage event, Mittal said the government is examining ways to widen incentives for advanced battery technologies while supporting emerging areas such as recycling and critical material processing.

 

"There have been repeated requests for creating specific policies for niche battery technologies, and going forward, we also see the need to expand the existing incentive system for advanced chemistry cells so that more operators and partners in the field can be covered. 

 

"I would also like to state from this dais that the Ministry of Heavy Industries, along with the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Prime Minister, has tied up with the European Union to create pilot projects in the field of recycling.”

 

Organised by the India Energy Storage Alliance, the three-day IESW 2026 has brought together more than 200 exhibitors and over 10,000 industry leaders, policymakers, and technology experts to discuss the future of India’s clean energy transition.

 

Vinayak Walimbe, Managing Director, Customized Energy Solutions, said the government’s move could accelerate the country’s ambitions to build a globally competitive battery ecosystem.

 

"Expanding policy support for battery recycling and advanced chemistry cells is a transformative move for India’s energy sector. This will drive domestic innovation and accelerate our transition to a sustainable, globally competitive battery ecosystem.”

 

Tracing the evolution of India’s battery sector, Mittal highlighted how the industry has expanded beyond electric vehicles into manufacturing, cell technology, raw materials, and recycling.

 

"What began as a chapter on electric vehicles has now grown into a dozen chapters, from increasing EV demand, to battery manufacturing, to dissecting batteries into various components, to cell technology, and then down to the mining of raw materials. As these sectors grew and matured, new areas emerged; recycling has become a very significant subject, and financing has also become vital to the ecosystem.”

 

Mittal further underlined the government’s focus on strengthening the entire battery value chain, from demand creation to components and critical minerals.

 

"We are eager to explore every way we can support the ecosystem, not just by generating demand and supply, but also through component ecosystem policies. There are already proposals for an ALBM-type system, and we are evaluating requests for targeted policies for niche battery technologies. The Ministry of Mines has also introduced schemes to support the refining of critical materials for battery production.”

 

Industry leaders welcomed the policy direction, pointing to growing confidence in India’s ability to emerge as a major global hub for battery innovation and manufacturing.

 

Harin Kanani, MD, Neogen Chemicals Limited, said, “We started working with lithium chemistry decades ago, and today, Indian-made batteries are already showing better performance than imported ones. 

 

"The government’s clear policy direction and strong support across ministries are inspiring unprecedented investment and innovation in the battery value chain. I am confident that, in the next five to ten years, India will be a global destination for battery technology and manufacturing.”

 

Vikram Handa, Managing Director, Epsilon Advanced Materials, also pointed to increasing government engagement with battery component manufacturers.

 

“As a component manufacturer ourselves, we are seeing great support from MHI recently, and we are very positive that the government will give us future signals to show that they would like to support.”

 

Dwarakanadha Reddy B, Business Head, Amararaja, stressed the importance of consistent policy frameworks to help India scale domestic cell manufacturing.

 

“India’s success in solar manufacturing shows what is possible when government policies strongly support domestic industry. For battery cell manufacturing to thrive, we need clear tenders and ALBM-like policies, as well as collaboration across the value chain. With the right support, India can achieve its energy transition goals and become a global leader in advanced battery technologies.”