India’s Battery Manufacturing Capacity to Reach 100 GWh by 2026: Experts

India’s energy storage sector is entering a rapid growth phase, with experts projecting the country’s battery manufacturing capacity to reach 100 gigawatt hours (GWh) by 2026, up from about 60 GWh today. The expansion is being fuelled by advances in automation, robotics, and new battery technologies that are reshaping the clean energy landscape.

At the 18th Renewable Energy India (REI) Expo held in Greater Noida, industry leaders and policymakers outlined how India’s push for self-reliance in energy storage and green hydrogen could transform the country into a global clean-energy hub over the next decade.

According to Arora, one of the industry speakers, automation efficiencies in battery production have now crossed 95 per cent, with advanced six-axis robotics managing large-format 625Ah, 12kg cells, an indicator of how technology is driving large-scale localisation. “Collaborations with IIT Roorkee, NIT Hamirpur, and local automation partners are accelerating innovation and technology transfer,” he said.

Arora highlighted that sodium-based cell technologies, considered safer, recyclable, and suitable for grid-scale applications are gaining traction in India. He added that as storage costs decline from Rs. 1.77 per unit to around Rs. 1.2 over five years, the country is set to achieve cost parity between solar and storage. “This will be a defining step toward energy independence,” he noted.

The battery and hydrogen opportunity

The REI Expo was held alongside The Battery Show India (TBSI), organised by Informa Markets in India, and brought together manufacturers, innovators, investors, and policymakers to explore opportunities across clean energy and storage ecosystems.

Ankit Dalmia, Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), said advances in battery chemistries, digitalisation, and green hydrogen will shape India’s clean-energy trajectory over the next five years. “New chemistries such as LFP (lithium iron phosphate), sodium-ion, and solid-state batteries could reduce storage costs by as much as 40 per cent by 2030,” he said. “This will enable round-the-clock renewable power, while AI-driven grid management and smart manufacturing will cut system costs by nearly 20 per cent.”

Dalmia noted that India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission, which targets annual production of five million tonnes by 2030, positions the country to capture roughly 10 per cent of global capacity. “With the right mix of policy support, manufacturing scale-up, and global partnerships, India can emerge as a low-cost hub for clean energy and battery innovation,” he said.

He added that India’s clean-energy ecosystem represents a US$200–250 billion investment opportunity this decade, with national targets of 500 GW of renewable capacity and 200 GWh of storage by 2030.

Domestic innovation and industry scale-up

Several Indian companies are now focusing on localisation and indigenous innovation to reduce import dependence and make renewable energy more affordable.

Acharya Balkrishna, Head of Patanjali, said the company aims to extend its “Swadeshi” philosophy to the renewable sector. “Solar energy is a continuous source that can meet India’s growing power needs at minimal cost,” he said. “Through local innovation and collaboration, we aim to make clean solar and battery solutions accessible to every household.”

Meanwhile, Inderjit Singh, Founder and Managing Director of INDYGREEN Technologies, said his company is offering customised battery solutions across light electric vehicles (L5), commercial and industrial (C&I), and utility-scale energy storage segments. “We have implemented over 100 battery assembly lines and plan to expand multifold in the next two years, targeting 20 GWh of battery lines and 20 GW of solar PV manufacturing solutions,” Singh said.

He added that INDYGREEN is leveraging IoT and AI-based technologies to improve safety, thermal management, and efficiency, while supporting the industrial lithium cell ecosystem through pilot-line infrastructure for research institutions.

Investment and policy momentum

Yogesh Mudras, Managing Director, Informa Markets in India, said India’s clean energy transition is gaining significant traction, with renewable capacity surpassing 250 GW in 2025 and on track to hit 500 GW by 2030.

“The Ministry of Power’s Rs. 5,400 crore Viability Gap Funding (VGF) scheme for 30 GWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), along with 13.2 GWh already underway, is expected to attract Rs. 33,000 crore in investments by 2028,” Mudras said.

Experts agree that India’s energy future lies at the intersection of technology, scale, and policy support. With automation, new battery chemistries, and domestic innovation driving efficiency, the country is not only meeting its renewable targets but also positioning itself as a key player in the global transition to clean energy.

If current trends continue, India could soon stand among the top global hubs for energy storage and green hydrogen, marking a pivotal step toward sustainable and self-reliant growth.