19/05/2026
Lithium imports increased 10x in 8 years
* From ₹3,532 crore (FY18) to ₹37,624.6 crore (FY26 till Feb).
* EV boom is the main driver
* EV pe*******on in India has reached around 8.5%.
* Domestic manufacturing is lagging
* Despite government schemes like:
* PLI Scheme
* ACC Battery Program
* Critical Mineral Mission
India still lacks large-scale lithium battery production.
* Import dependency remains high
* Most battery materials are still imported, especially through China-linked supply chains.
* Risk for India
* Rising EV demand without local battery ecosystem could:
* increase trade deficit,
* create supply-chain risks,
* make India vulnerable to global price shocks.
* Big opportunity
* Strong potential for:
* battery manufacturing,
* recycling industry,
* critical mineral mining,
* clean-energy investments.