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New Delhi. India and the European Union (EU) have launched a joint program of 15.2 million euros (about Rs 169 crore) to promote electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling technologies. The initiative aims to increase recovery of critical minerals from battery waste and strengthen ‘circular economy’ based supply chains.

Joint initiative started under TTC

This program has been launched under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC). Under this, companies, startups, small and medium industries (SMEs), universities and research institutes from India and the European Union can participate. In this, the last date for submission of proposals has been fixed as September 15, 2026.

Joint funding by Horizon Europe and Government of India

The program is being jointly funded by the ‘Horizon Europe’ program of the European Union and the Ministry of Heavy Industry of India.

Focus will be on recycling technology

Under this initiative, emphasis will be laid on developing modern recycling systems, which include—

high efficiency recovery system

Technologies will be developed to more efficiently extract critical minerals such as lithium, cobalt and graphite from old batteries.

digital infrastructure

A digital framework will be created for collection, tracking and sorting of batteries so that the process can be more systematic and transparent.

Pilot Project and Testing Unit

A common ‘pilot line’ will be developed in India, where recycling technologies will be tested on an industrial scale.

Second Life Battery Technology

Battery diagnostics technology will be developed for safety testing and re-use (second life) of old batteries.

Strategy to reduce dependence on mineral resources

As the EV sector is growing rapidly, the demand for minerals like lithium and cobalt is also increasing. The partnership aims to reduce dependence on imports by increasing the recovery of these minerals through recycling. It is estimated that about 128 GWh of recyclable battery capacity will be available in India by 2030. This model is being seen as the concept of ‘virtual mine’ i.e. virtual mine for extracting minerals from waste.

Officials’ response

Senior officials of India and the European Union have described this initiative as strategically important. EU Ambassador to India Hervé Delfin said that batteries are so important that they cannot be thrown away after one use. This initiative is an important step towards mineral security and climate goals. According to Ajay Kumar Sood, India’s Principal Scientific Advisor, the program will help develop a strong domestic recycling ecosystem for the country’s growing EV market.

Focus on logistics and circular economy

In this initiative, work will be done on logistics model connecting the unorganized sector to the organized system, so that the entire battery supply chain can become more effective and sustainable. This partnership will not only strengthen technical cooperation between India and Europe, but is also considered an important step towards environmental protection and better utilization of resources.