Reliance Industries Limited has reiterated that its ambitious plans for establishing a comprehensive battery storage manufacturing ecosystem in India remain on track, dismissing market speculation about a pause in its lithium-ion cell production programme.
The Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate confirmed that it is continuing to advance its strategy to build a full-spectrum battery manufacturing capability from cell production to containerised energy storage systems (ESS) in line with its targeted timelines. Company representatives emphasised that there has been no change to its planned execution schedule, despite recent reports suggesting otherwise.
Discussions between Reliance and a potential Chinese technology partner on licensing advanced cell-making technology had been underway, as part of efforts to accelerate localisation of critical battery technologies. However, these talks did not culminate in a deal, largely due to technology export restrictions introduced by Chinese authorities, which require special approvals for overseas transfers of key battery components and technology.
Although licensing discussions with the Chinese firm stalled, Reliance maintained that its broader energy storage initiatives including the planned battery gigafactory continue to progress. The group is focused on developing a robust manufacturing ecosystem that supports both lithium-ion cell production and downstream assembly of battery packs and ESS units, which are essential for electric vehicles and renewable energy integration.
India has placed strong emphasis on building domestic battery production capacity under industrial and energy security goals. Reliance’s plans are aligned with national priorities to reduce dependence on imports, support electric mobility, and enhance renewable power storage infrastructure, with the company looking to leverage its existing investments and operational scale to achieve these objectives.
The reaffirmation of its battery strategy comes amid heightened competition and execution challenges in the sector, where major Indian corporations are racing to secure technology, capital, and market share in the rapidly expanding battery and energy storage market.
