Second-Life Batteries Key to India's Circular Battery Ecosystem

New Delhi, May 9, 2026 – India needs more than expanded cell-manufacturing capacity to become a clean-energy powerhouse. It needs a coordinated approach across the entire battery value chain, from manufacturing and deployment to second-life use and end-of-life recovery, experts and policymakers said at a national conference hosted by The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).

The event brought together energy researchers, government ministries, utilities, and industry leaders to examine how battery reuse, repurposing, and recycling can help build a resilient, self-reliant, and circular battery ecosystem. The message was consistent: a robust battery economy depends on treating used EV batteries as strategic resources, not waste.

Mobility is not the only opportunity

TERI Director General Dr Vibha Dhawan opened the conversation by calling attention to what happens after a battery finishes its life in an EV. She argued that the real opportunity lies in second-life applications, where retired automotive batteries can continue delivering value in less demanding roles. That shift needs planning early in the value chain — from cell design to data sharing on battery health — so that reuse becomes a standard step rather than an afterthought.

Practical use cases already exist

Kuldeep Rana, Scientist E at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), laid out specific markets where used EV batteries can still be useful. Home appliances, rooftop solar PV systems, and UPS systems are all viable candidates. These applications do not require the same high power density as vehicle traction, which makes retired batteries a practical fit. Yet he also made clear that end users need reliable information about a battery’s remaining capacity before they will accept it.

Government focus on the full chain

Vijay Mittal, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Heavy Industries, said the ministry is working on two fronts: strengthening domestic manufacturing and supply chains, and advancing the policies needed for second-life applications, traceability, standards, and recycling. He described these elements as necessary for a competitive and circular battery economy. The government’s approach, he indicated, is increasingly about lifecycle management rather than just production numbers.

Design for circularity from day one

AK Saxena, Senior Director at TERI, stressed that India should localise value creation rather than simply chasing higher volumes. Batteries should be designed for circularity at the very outset, he said, which means considering how components can be recovered and reused before a cell is even assembled. He also underlined the need to build trust in second-life applications by focusing on performance and remaining capacity. Without credible testing and performance data, buyers will stay on the sidelines.

Domestic value addition is the priority

Vinayak Walimbe, Managing Director of the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA), called for stronger domestic value addition across the battery supply chain. His point was not only about reducing import dependence; local content creates jobs, shortens supply lines, and reduces exposure to volatile global material prices. As global competition for battery materials intensifies, countries that can add value at home will be in a stronger position.

Power-sector resilience matters too

Sugandhita Wadhera, Senior Manager at BSES Rajdhani Power Ltd, brought the discussion back to the grid. She said distribution-level flexibility, state-level capacity planning, and stronger payment-security mechanisms will be critical for managing peak demand and building a resilient power system. Second-life batteries can play a useful role in that flexibility mix, but they need the right regulatory signals and business models to scale.

Traceability cannot be an afterthought

Several speakers flagged traceability as a missing link. Without clear data on a battery’s history, state of health, and remaining capacity, it is difficult for utilities, insurers, and financiers to assign value to second-life assets. The conference discussions therefore covered the full battery value chain: the scale-up of domestic Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) manufacturing, the growth of electric mobility, and the emerging requirements for battery reuse, repurposing, and recycling.

A global signal for the battery industry

Although the conference was rooted in India’s domestic agenda, the outcome carries significance well beyond the country. India is becoming one of the largest markets for electric mobility and grid-scale storage, so its choices around battery circularity will help shape global demand for critical minerals and recycling infrastructure. A working Indian model could show other emerging economies how to avoid the early-EV waste problem while making clean-energy supply chains more sustainable.

The road ahead

The underlying message was straightforward: India’s battery story is about the whole lifecycle, not just gigafactories. The country must ensure that manufacturing growth is matched by systems for reuse, repurposing, and recovery. That means designing batteries differently, collecting better data, and building trust in second-life products.

For now, the conference made one thing clear: second-life batteries are central to India’s ambition of creating a circular, resilient, and competitive battery ecosystem. The next step is translating that idea into standards, investment signals, and business models that can move the concept from panel discussions to deployment.