Newsletter
JSW Group is in advanced talks with Japanese and South Korean firms to set up a battery-cell manufacturing JV in India.
Context: China still dominates over 70% of the world’s battery-cell and component production, controlling key materials like lithium, graphite, and separators.
For Indian manufacturers, that’s both a strategic and economic risk. JSW’s move signals a deliberate pivot, building tech partnerships beyond Beijing’s reach while aligning with India’s supply-chain independence push.
What’s the deal: the proposed joint venture will cater to EVs, commercial fleets, and grid-scale energy storage systems.
Talks are reportedly in the final stretch, with a deal expected by March next year. Japanese and Korean partners will likely bring advanced cell chemistry and raw-material expertise, while JSW focuses on local production and scaling.
How it helps India & JSW: for India, this means a step to localised battery production reduces import costs and improves supply resilience.
For JSW, it’s a leap into the EV and clean-energy value chain, helping it secure steady access to cells for its upcoming vehicle and power-storage ventures, while cushioning against global price volatility.
Big theme: India’s battery-cell market is just taking shape but could hit $15–20 billion by 2030, driven by the EV boom and renewable storage needs.
As players like JSW, Ola, and Reliance rush to build domestic capacity, the real race is for technology, localisation, and scale.
