IESA Urges Policy Push for Battery Component Sourcing and Smart Grids

India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), along with industry stakeholders has called on the government to expedite domestic battery component incentives, digital grid enhancements, and critical mineral recycling frameworks to sustain the momentum of electric vehicle adoption in the country.

The appeal comes against the backdrop of sustained retail expansion in the sector. Data from the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) indicated that approximately one in every eight vehicles registered during the month was electric.

Addressing the upstream supply chain requirements, Vinayak Walimbe, Managing Director, India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), said, "As India’s EV ecosystem evolves, we have a tremendous opportunity to build a self-reliant and globally competitive battery supply chain. The government must accelerate this momentum by supporting R&D collaboration, strategic mineral development, and workforce skill-building."

Alongside localized cell chemistry and component manufacturing, energy analytics specialists emphasized the necessity of software and infrastructure upgrades across power distribution utilities to manage mass fleet charging loads.

From an operational perspective, fleet and logistics operators called for targeted policies supporting commercial vehicle adoption and varied ownership structures, highlighting their role in sustaining urban electric vehicle volumes.

Sandeep Mukherjee, CEO, BLive, noted, "To truly accelerate EV adoption in India, we must recognise that the real change-makers are our riders and fleet operators driving last-mile delivery across cities. We call on the government to push policies that empower these entrepreneurs and promote innovative ownership and fleet models."

Akhilesh Bagaria, Co-Founder, NavPrakriti, said, "Recycling and refurbishing end-of-life batteries must become central pillars of India’s e-mobility strategy, reducing dependence on imports and minimising environmental impact. Our recommendation to the government is to strengthen policies and incentives for battery recycling and second-life applications, ensuring that every spent battery becomes a resource for new growth."