The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFC), Government of India, has issued a notification on rules for battery waste management in view of the shift to electric vehicles. Anticipating a need to have an organised channel for the safe disposal and recycling of batteries, the rules, called the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, are applicable to the producer, dealer, consumer, entities involved in collection, segregation, transportation, refurbishment and recycling of waste batteries. 

All types of batteries, regardless of their chemistry, shape, volume, weight, material composition and use are covered under the rules. The rules also have a provision for penal action in case of a violation and imposition of environmental compensation. The ministry has also set a minimum recovery percentage target for recovered materials out of dry weight batteries. 

The recovered materials will be then used to produce new batteries. For FY2024-25, the recovery target is set at 70 percent whereas for FY2025-26, it is 80 percent. The target for FY2026-27 is 90 percent. Mentioning that the recovery target may be reviewed by the committee once every four years to revisit the minimum levels of recovered battery materials in light of technical and scientific progress and emerging new technologies in waste management, the notification is expected to contribute towards enhancing each and every EV’s cost to the environment in India. This is especially in connection with the fact that nearly 1.4 million EVs as of July 2022 are said to operate in India if the data shared by the ministry of road transport and highways is relied upon. More than half of this volume is claimed to consist of electric three-wheelers followed by two-wheelers and passenger cars. 

The PLI scheme and other policy changes in terms of manufacture and sale of electric vehicles, it is clear that a strong battery ELV and disposal policy has to be in place. From the cost to the environment point of view, a policy extension in terms of the manufacture of such batteries locally down to the fuel cell level should also taking into view the ability of the battery to perform efficiently through out its lifecycle, thus staying alive for longer and when it does die, it should be recyclable to a great extent. 

Dr Akshay Singhal, Founder and CEO of Log9 Materials, averred. “The newly introduced Battery Waste Management standards by the Government under the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) concept addresses two important concerns. An efficient and effective waste management of all Li-Ion batteries that are nearing the end of their useful life and are expected to end up in landfills in a few years, avoiding any residual pollution impact. Second is the emphasis on investing in and nurturing the recycling of such used batteries, reducing the reliance on fresh resource mining.” 

Shubham Vishvakarma, CEO and Chief of Process Engineering of Metastable Materials, said, “The Battery Waste Management Rules announced by the Government of India is an excellent and much-needed step towards bringing to the fore innovations and myriad growth opportunities for the battery waste management and battery treatment space in our country, especially at a time when the ongoing EV boom in India is leading us to increasing concerns on e-waste.” “Under the new Rules notified, the Government has mandated a minimum percentage of recovery of various materials from end-of-life batteries, which is bound to enable the growth of novel business models such as urban mining in order to reduce India’s foreign dependency on procuring raw materials for EV batteries and other types of batteries,” he added. 

Ashok Sudrik, Chief Scientist, Infinite Orbit Research and Development Pvt Ltd, commented, “The Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, were much needed and we are happy that government has started taking cognizance of the hazardous waste being created and the recycling or waste collection. Other than waste management recycling rules, there is a need for manufacturers to incorporate extension of battery life technologies, keep the lithium content minimal and develop innovative cell chemistry. The life of a battery should be 4000 to 6000 cycles, which means a life spane of about 10 to 15 years. BaaS (Battery as a Service) concept with swappable batteries will be a big contributor to the ultimate goal of keeping cost to the environment low.”

In other parts of the world

In Canada, Li-Cycle will begin constructing a USD 175 million plant in Rochester, N.Y., for recycling of lithium-ion batteries. On the grounds of what used to be the Eastman Kodak complex, the plant will be the largest of its kind in North America with an eventual capacity of 25 metric kilotons of input material and a capability to recover 95 percent or more of cobalt, nickel, lithium and other valuable elements through zero-wastewater, zero-emissions process. Ajay Kochhar, Co-founder and CEO, Li-Cycle, said, “We'll be one of the largest domestic sources of nickel and lithium, as well as the only source of cobalt in the United States."  

In May 2022, Hydrovolt, the largest battery recycling plant in Europe started operations in Fredrikstad, Norway. A joint venture between two Norwegian companies – Hydro and Northvolt, the plant has the capacity to process 12,000 tonnes of battery packs per year, enough for the entire end-of-life battery market in Norway currently. Claimed to have the capability to recover 95 percent of the materials used in an EV battery including plastics, copper, aluminum and ‘black mass’, a powder containing various elements inside lithium-ion batteries like nickel, manganese, cobalt and lithium. 

Not just in Europe or US, the rise of Electric Vehicles (EVs) and associated battery gigafactories is pushing forward the creation of a battery recycling value chain. It is a matter of debate whether it got to be a close-loop or an open-loop design in terms of sourcing of batteries to recycle and to put the resulting material to good use so that the cost to the environment is kept minimal. As the demand for use of ‘green’ electricity source gathers pace the world over, on the other end of the spectrum, which involved the end-of-life vehicle for EVs, the demand for recycling in increasing partly due to regulations – the EU regulations have just intensified – and partly by a demand for re-use of materials due to geo-political reasons as well. A strong desire to localise supply chains and safeguard critical raw materials are also the driving factors.  

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Epson, a global leader in SCARA robot manufacturing, has unveiled its next-generation industrial robotics portfolio at Automation Expo Mumbai 2026. The newly introduced lineup features the high-end CX-A Series 6-axis robots, the LS-C Series SCARA robots, the RC+ 8.0 programming software and the advanced SafeSense safety technology, all designed to address diverse manufacturing applications such as pick-and-place, precision assembly, parts transfer and material handling.

The new offerings significantly expand Epson’s existing industrial robotics family, which already includes the 6-axis C-Series and SCARA T-Series and LS-Series models with payloads ranging from 3 to 20 kilogrammes. With the addition of the CX-A and LS-C Series, manufacturers across various sectors can achieve heightened productivity, flexibility and operational efficiency. The CX-A Series is engineered for complex tasks with a payload capacity of up to seven kilogrammes and a reach of 900 millimetres, available in IP67, cleanroom and ESD variants, while the LS-C Series provides a compact SCARA platform with a 50-kilogramme payload, a 1,000-millimetre reach and cycle times as fast as 0.298 seconds.

Complementing the hardware, the RC+ 8.0 software offers an integrated environment for programming, simulation and system management, facilitating faster automation deployment with support for Visual Studio and C++ development. Additional efficiency features include enhanced diagnostics, OPC UA, GUI builder and safety functions, alongside co-creation tools like Library Builder and RC+ Extension. Meanwhile, the SafeSense technology promotes safer human-robot collaboration by incorporating Safety Limited Speed and Safety Limited Position functions, which can potentially reduce the need for extensive safety fencing and thereby increase operational flexibility.

With over four decades of industrial robotics expertise and more than 200,000 robotic arms deployed globally, Epson continues to drive operational excellence for businesses. Attendees at Automation Expo Mumbai 2026 have the opportunity to view live demonstrations of these solutions and consult with Epson specialists about transforming their manufacturing operations.

Siva Kumar, Sr General Manager – Sales and Marketing, Epson India, said, "India is rapidly emerging as a global manufacturing hub, and automation will play a pivotal role in shaping its future. With our new industrial robot lineup and RC+ 8.0 platform, Epson is delivering the speed, precision and intelligence manufacturers need to compete in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. We remain committed to enabling businesses to accelerate automation adoption and build smarter, more agile and globally competitive manufacturing operations."

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The Hyundai Motor India Foundation, the corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm of Hyundai Motor India, has launched Samarth UnnATi in association with the AssisTech Foundation in Gurugram.

The initiative provides grant support of INR 7.5 million to assist startups developing assistive technology solutions for persons with disabilities. It focuses on capacity building, mentorship, investor linkages and market access.

Gopalakrishnan C S, Trustee, Hyundai Motor India Foundation, said, “At Hyundai, we believe that accessibility and innovation are powerful enablers of inclusion and progress. Through ‘Samarth by Hyundai’, we are committed to creating opportunities that empower persons with disabilities to participate more independently and confidently in society. The Samarth UnnATi – AT start-up scaleup program is an important step towards strengthening Assistive Technology ecosystem by supporting innovators who are developing impactful solutions to address real-world accessibility challenges. Through our partnership with AssisTech Foundation, we aim to accelerate the adoption of assistive technologies and help build a more inclusive society.”

Prateek Madhav, CEO and Co-Founder, AssisTech Foundation (ATF), said, “By 2050, the need for assistive products in the global population is estimated to increase to 3.5 billion (UNICEF Global Report on Assistive Technology). To reach this breadth, innovation cannot be a standalone phenomenon. It must be nurtured, deployed at scale and reach the people who need it the most. Samarth UnnATi is the engine that drives this, bringing together these largely disparate efforts toward a more cohesive approach.”

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Cars24 Labs has announced a partnership with the Startup Policy Forum to collaborate on AI policy, industry engagement and AI adoption in India.

The partnership involves Cars24 Labs contributing to Startup Policy Forum initiatives through policy discussions, founder engagements, industry dialogues and global immersion programmes, sharing practical learnings from deploying AI across Cars24 operations.

Vikram Chopra, Builder, Cars24, said, "At Cars24, we've always believed that the best way to understand AI is to build with it. Cars24 Labs was created with that mindset, and we've learned a great deal from putting AI into real products used by millions. Partnering with Startup Policy Forum gives us an opportunity to share those learnings, learn from others, and contribute to the conversations that will shape how India builds and adopts AI in the years ahead."

Shweta Rajpal Kohli, President & CEO, Startup Policy Forum, said, "Cars24 has been a valued member of SPF, and we've worked closely with them on several policy initiatives that matter to India's new economy. Being among the most AI-forward startups in our country, Cars24 is doing some incredible work on AI adoption and innovation. We're excited to partner with Cars24 Labs. It's deeply aligned with our mission of bridging the gap between India and global AI ecosystems, enabling cross-border collaborations, and encouraging AI adoption by Indian companies."

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N.A.N. GreenMet, the critical minerals and advanced manufacturing platform founded by Navin Agarwal (Vice Chairman, Vedanta), has launched N.A.N. MagneTech to establish a Neodymium-Iron-Boron (NdFeB) magnet manufacturing facility at the Naidupeta Industrial Park in Andhra Pradesh.

The company has earmarked an investment of INR 12.5 billion in Phase I to build an initial capacity of 1,200 tonnes per annum, with a long-term target of 10,000 tonnes per annum.

It expects commercial production to begin in Q1 2028, generating annual revenues of INR 12 to INR 15 billion. The facility will integrate oxide processing, metal and alloy production, sintered magnet manufacturing and closed-loop recycling.

The project has secured feedstock supply arrangements with an Australian rare earth producer and executed off-take agreements with domestic automotive original equipment manufacturers. Technical development is led by Dr. John Ormerod, Dr. Masato Sagawa and Dr. Gaurav Shukla.

Navin Agarwal, Founder & Chairman, N.A.N. GreenMet, said, “The industries shaping the future will be defined by those who control advanced materials and manufacturing technologies. At N.A.N. GreenMet, we are building a globally competitive industrial enterprise that strengthens India’s manufacturing capabilities in strategically important sectors. N.A.N. MagneTech is an important milestone in that endeavour, bringing world-class technology to establish a domestic rare earth magnet ecosystem that supports the country’s long-term industrial growth”.

Dr. John Ormerod, Chairman of the Technology Board, N.A.N. MagneTech, added, "We are bringing the most advanced Japanese process technology to India, covering the complete oxide-to-magnet ecosystem. Backed by a secured feedstock strategy and closed-loop recycling, this platform is engineered to deliver consistent, world-class quality."

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