India is being presented with a major opportunity to reshape its energy future through battery circularity, according to a new report from RMI and the India Foundation.
The study, Charting a Circular Battery Future for India, outlines how the country could unlock a ₹75,500 crore/$8.5 million market by scaling domestic reuse, repurposing and recycling of batteries.
The report warns that India’s battery demand could rise more than 40-fold by 2050, with electric vehicles expected to account for 80% of lithium-ion use by 2035. Without circular systems, this growth risks increasing dependence on imported minerals and adding to waste. By contrast, a circular approach could transform the challenge into a strategic advantage.
Recovering materials currently lost as scrap would allow India to meet over 40% of its lithium, nickel and cobalt needs by 2050. The report also highlights the potential to create more than 100,000 green jobs and cut air pollution.
Battery circularity is positioned not only as an environmental necessity but also as a competitive edge. By leveraging its agile start-up ecosystem, India could establish itself as a leader in reuse, repurposing and recycling, meeting global demand for affordable, fair-trade and circular battery solutions.
The roadmap set out by RMI and the India Foundation calls for innovation, capital mobilisation and market growth. It argues that used batteries and e-waste can be transformed from a liability into a resource, supporting self-reliance and advancing India’s goal of energy independence.
Read the report here.
