Following the impressive success of the 3rd India Battery Manufacturing & Supply Chain Summit (IBMSCS), industry Body IESA is organising the two-day 4th India Battery Manufacturing & Supply Chain Summit from January 15 to 16, 2025, in New Delhi and a pre-conference to Bharat Mobility 2025. Over 500 Industry Leaders representing more than 300 organisations, alongside 30 government officials and more than 50 global speakers are expected to participate in the event. Supported by the Ministry of Mines, Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) and the Government of Odisha, the summit aimed to create new partnership opportunities and devise a roadmap for the battery manufacturing and supply chain industry. 

While 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 catalyse 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. It is crucial that we do not miss the bus this time, as has happened in previous instances. Perhaps 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. As highlighted by many, if we do not achieve a domestic value addition (DVA) of over 50%, it does not genuinely align with the essence of Make in India. Any manufacturer producing goods in this country—be it ACC batteries or any other product—that possesses over 50% DVA is recognised as a Class 1 supplier and a genuine contributor to our requirements. Furthermore, 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. 

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.

In a significant move to bolster the country's battery industry, the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) launched the India Battery Manufacturing and Supply Chain Council (IBMSCC) in 2020.  This council facilitates a platform for manufacturers of batteries, cells, and intermediate components (Cathode, anode, electrolyte, Separator, Adhesive and other non-active parts, etc.) to discuss the critical challenges such as resource availability, the raw materials supply chain, existing policies, and regulations, while also working to provide viable solutions.