India's Ambitious Blueprint for a Battery-Powered Future
India is charting a monumental course to build a cumulative battery energy storage capacity of nearly 3 terawatt-hours (TWh) by 2047, a strategic move to power its electric mobility, grid stability, and electronic components sectors. This ambitious plan, currently under inter-ministerial development, represents a six-fold increase from the nation's current energy storage footprint and signals a massive shift in its energy infrastructure.
The Numbers Behind the National Vision
According to high-level government consultations, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) is spearheading this initiative in coordination with the ministries of power, new and renewable energy, and communications. The scale of the challenge becomes clear when comparing the target to the present reality: as of June 2025, India's energy storage capacity stands at a modest 490 MWh, as estimated by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).
Electric vehicles are projected to be a primary driver, accounting for approximately one-third of the total demand. However, officials emphasize that the appetite for batteries will extend far beyond EVs. "EVs and BESS (battery energy storage services) play a major role, but the country's demand for batteries will also grow due to other sectors, like data centres, for instance," an anonymous official stated. The government's internal review aims to assess progress against earlier estimates and determine where state intervention is necessary to keep the nation on track.
This new 3 TWh target surpasses the MNRE's earlier Energy Storage Systems Overview, which had projected a demand of about 2.3 TWh, comprising 540 GWh from pumped-storage plants and 1,840 GWh from battery energy storage services.
Building a Self-Reliant Battery Ecosystem
A central pillar of the long-term strategy is the creation of a robust local manufacturing ecosystem capable of meeting this projected demand. Developing this self-reliant supply chain is estimated to require a colossal investment of $840 billion (approximately ₹75 trillion), calculated at a rough cost of ₹2.5 crore per MWh of energy storage capacity.
This ambition, however, faces significant headwinds. India's domestic reserves of critical minerals like lithium, cobalt, and nickel are limited, leaving it dependent on imports in a market dominated by China. The ambitious Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACCs) has also not gained the momentum initially hoped for, adding to the challenges.
Inter-ministerial discussions are therefore focused on a multi-pronged approach:
- Securing critical minerals through international partnerships and domestic exploration.
- Building midstream refining and component manufacturing capacity.
- Scaling up domestic battery and BESS component production.
- Boosting R&D in advanced chemistries and strengthening recycling for a circular economy.
Experts point to specific bottlenecks. Alkehya Datta of The Energy Resources Institute (Teri) highlighted that India's annual cell output of only 5 GWh lags far behind the projected demand of 218 GWh by 2030. He also raised serious environmental concerns, noting that mining for rare earths generates substantial radioactive residue and waste, which could complicate social acceptance and permitting.
Despite the hurdles, industry leaders express confidence. Debmalya Sen of the India Energy Storage Alliance asserted that India has the capability to develop the local ecosystem, but stressed the need for a "fully integrated and self-reliant supply chain." Pratyush Sinha of Lohum advocated for strong domestic partnerships in downstream manufacturing and recycling, suggesting India learn from the tightly-coupled industrial models of Japan and Korea to create a sustainable growth flywheel.
As India prepares for this 22-year transformation, the success of its battery mission will be crucial not only for its energy security and climate goals but also for its position in the global clean technology race.
