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Entrepreneur
5 days ago
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Can India Come Out of Its Battery Import Dependency?
India's battery market is expanding rapidly, technologies are evolving, and policies are aligning—but until the country secures control over its supply chains and critical resources, its battery ambitions will continue to ride on a fragile charge Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Batteries are now indispensable to India's energy future. From powering electric vehicles to storing solar and wind energy, their role is central. Yet, behind this surge lies a fragile foundation—one marked by critical raw material dependency, technological gaps, and underdeveloped infrastructure. India's reliance on imported materials, especially lithium, cobalt, and nickel, presents a structural vulnerability. These critical minerals are sourced from a handful of countries like China, Chile, and Australia, leaving the Indian battery supply chain exposed to geopolitical friction, pricing shocks, and shipment delays. This, together with India's limited capacity to refine or process these raw materials locally, calls for a shift in strategy. India's battery market is growing at breakneck speed, fuelled by the country's aggressive push toward electrification, rising energy demand, and a government-backed shift to clean technologies. According to a report by ResearchAndMarkets, the sector was valued at USD 10.45 billion in 2025 and is projected to nearly double to USD 20.24 billion by 2031, rising at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.48 per cent. There is a shift from traditional lead-acid to lithium-ion batteries, these newer chemistries, particularly lithium iron phosphate (LFP) and nickel manganese cobalt (NMC), offer higher energy density, faster charging, and longer life spans, making them essential for applications ranging from urban mobility to grid stability. One of the most promising developments lies in battery recycling. Anupam Kumar, CEO, MiniMines, said, "With nearly 75 per cent of batteries in India still imported, there's a growing recognition that recycling is not just about waste management, but resource security. Recovering valuable materials such as lithium, cobalt, and nickel from used batteries will support local manufacturing and decrease reliance on imports." Recycling also feeds into the broader goal of a circular economy, where resources are reused rather than discarded. Rajesh Gupta, director, Recyclekaro, echoes this sentiment. "India is also likely to see a parallel growth in battery recycling and second-life use, essential to reducing import dependence on critical minerals," he notes. This evolution is being nudged along by growing demand from sectors beyond EVs—such as telecom, data centers, and solar—further deepening the battery market's reach into India's economic fabric. This optimism is backed by a suite of policy interventions. Schemes like the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) for Advanced Chemistry Cells, FAME, and the National Electric Mobility Mission Plan are pushing the sector toward domestic self-reliance. Yet, it's clear that policy is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. Dr. Aanchal Jain, CEO of PMI Electro Mobility, believes India is "Entering a high-growth phase, shaped by clear policy direction and a growing demand for clean energy solutions." She points out that as giga-factories begin to scale and supply chains solidify, India will inch closer to being both a producer and exporter of advanced battery technologies. Pulkit Khurana, co-founder & CEO, Battery Smart, gives another alternative, "The Indian battery market is witnessing accelerated growth, driven by a confluence of factors," but the dependence on imports and the lack of a resilient supply chain loom large. "Battery swapping has emerged as a critical enabler," he says, citing the rising demand for cost-effective, scalable solutions in Tier I, II, and III cities. "With domestic cell manufacturing gaining traction, reliance on imports will reduce, and supply chains will strengthen." Read More Currently, India imports almost its entire requirement of Li-ion batteries. However, CareEdge Ratings expects India's import dependency to decline to approximately 20 per cent by FY27, despite significant growth in demand due to large-scale integrated capacities being built for Li-ion battery storage. Lithium-ion production is increasing, and alternative chemistries like sodium-ion and solid-state batteries are gaining traction. These innovations could reduce the sector's dependency on materials like cobalt, which are not only scarce but also raise environmental and ethical concerns due to mining practices. The convergence of government incentives, clean energy targets, and rising consumer awareness is reshaping both supply and demand. The drive for local manufacturing, including lithium-ion cell production, is also fostering market self-reliance. "We anticipate strong growth over the next five years, particularly in energy storage systems, electric vehicle batteries, and grid stability solutions," Mukesh Gupta, marketing head, MaxVolt Energy Industries. Still, despite this momentum, the structural deficiencies cannot be ignored. India's current dependence on imported cells, limited processing infrastructure, and fragmented supply chains make it highly susceptible to disruption. Building a resilient battery industry will require not just investment in manufacturing, but in upstream capabilities like mining, refining, and recycling. It will also demand international partnerships, robust R&D, and localized innovations suited to India's climate and mobility patterns. In short, India's battery story is one of both promise and pressure. The market is expanding rapidly, technologies are evolving, and policies are aligning—but until the country secures control over its supply chains and critical resources, its battery ambitions will continue to ride on a fragile charge.
Entrepreneur
28-05-2025
- Business
- Entrepreneur
Ahmedabad's Orbitt Space Secures USD 1 Mn Funding Led by pi Ventures
The freshly raised capital will be deployed across three core areas: accelerating product design and engineering, expanding Orbitt's elite team of space scientists and engineers, and conducting rigorous prototype testing to validate their proprietary propulsion and avionics systems. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. Orbitt Space, an Ahmedabad-based space-tech startup, has raised USD 1 million in pre-seed funding led by pi Ventures, with participation from IIMA Ventures. This milestone investment will power the company's development of breakthrough air-breathing electric propulsion systems and advanced satellite bus platforms tailored for Ultra Low Earth Orbit (ULEO), a largely untapped orbital zone below 250 km altitude. Founded in early 2025 by ex-ISRO scientists Christopher Parmar (CEO) and Anupam Kumar (CTO), Orbitt Space is on a mission to redefine satellite operations. Drawing from their hands-on experience with high-reliability space systems, the founders aim to solve the critical challenges of high atmospheric drag and limited fuel capacity that have historically prevented long-duration missions in ULEO. The freshly raised capital will be deployed across three core areas: accelerating product design and engineering, expanding Orbitt's elite team of space scientists and engineers, and conducting rigorous prototype testing to validate their proprietary propulsion and avionics systems. "ULEO is the cleanest and most strategic orbit around Earth, yet it has remained inaccessible until now," said Parmar. "Our electric propulsion system will change that, enabling satellites to operate longer missions at low altitudes while delivering advanced imaging and data capabilities without contributing to orbital pollution." Orbitt Space is developing a novel propulsion technology that uses residual atmospheric gases as propellant, eliminating the need for traditional onboard fuel. This fuel-free system, integrated into a 200kg-class agile satellite bus, will empower missions in Earth observation, telecommunications, climate monitoring, surveillance, and scientific research—areas where sharper imaging, low latency, and radiation protection are key advantages of ULEO. Kumar added, "For us, this isn't just about building propulsion systems—it's about reshaping how we access space. Our goal is to redefine global benchmarks for satellite performance, cost, and sustainability." Shubham Sandeep, Managing Director at pi Ventures, said "Orbitt Space is reimagining in-space propulsion by replacing traditional fuel with atmospheric gases. We're thrilled to support their bold vision for a cleaner, more efficient future in spacetech." Currently in the development phase, Orbitt plans to validate its systems with in-orbit demonstrations before launching commercially.
India Today
28-05-2025
- Business
- India Today
Ahmedabad-based Orbitt Space raises $1 million to build satellite systems
Orbitt Space, a promising space-tech startup founded by former ISRO scientists, has raised $1 million in a pre-seed funding round led by pi Ventures, with support from IIMA funding will push the company to revolutionise satellite operations in the largely untapped Ultra Low Earth Orbit (ULEO), below 250 km in early 2025 by Christopher Parmar and Anupam Kumar, Orbitt Space is developing a breakthrough air-breathing electric propulsion system and an advanced satellite bus platform tailored for This orbital zone, while offering advantages like sharper imaging and lower signal latency, has remained out of reach due to high atmospheric drag and fuel capital infusion will accelerate the design and development of Orbitt's proprietary propulsion technology and avionics, enable the recruitment of a world-class team, and fund rigorous prototype company's goal is to validate its technology and pave the way for sustainable, debris-free, long-duration satellite missions in ULEO.'ULEO is the cleanest and most strategic orbit around Earth, yet it has remained inaccessible until now. Our electric propulsion system will change that, enabling satellites to operate longer missions at low altitudes while delivering advanced imaging and data capabilities without contributing to orbital pollution,' said Christopher Parmar, Co-founder & CEO of Orbitt propulsion system uniquely uses residual atmospheric gases as propellant, eliminating the need for onboard fuel—a game-changer for satellite longevity and sustainability. Combined with a high-agility, 200kg-class satellite bus, the platform is set to offer powerful solutions for earth observation, low-latency telecommunications, and climate us, this isn't just about building electric propulsion and satellite platform technologies, it's about reshaping how we access space,' added Anupam Kumar, Co-founder & Space is currently focused on building and qualifying its core systems, with in-orbit demonstrations and commercial rollout planned as next steps. The company's innovation could place India at the forefront of a new era in sustainable space infrastructure.
