India and EU Launch €15.2 M Joint EV Battery Recycling Initiative to Strengthen Green Technology Partnership

The announcement was made on May 5, 2026, under the framework of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), specifically through Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies.

India and the European Union have announced a major new joint initiative to accelerate electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling technologies, marking a significant step toward building resilient clean energy supply chains, advancing circular economy goals and strengthening strategic cooperation in green technologies.

The announcement was made on May 5, 2026, under the framework of the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), specifically through Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies.

The third coordinated India-EU call for proposals will focus on the recycling of EV batteries and comes with a combined funding pool of €15.2 million — approximately ₹169 crore — jointly supported by the European Union's Horizon Europe programme and India's Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI).

The submission deadline for project proposals has been set for September 15, 2026.

India and EU Target Critical Minerals Through Circular Economy Strategy

The initiative is being viewed as a strategically important move by both India and the EU to reduce dependence on vulnerable global supply chains for critical raw materials essential to the clean energy transition.

The programme focuses on recovering valuable minerals used in EV batteries, including:

• Lithium

• Graphite

• Cobalt

• Other strategic battery materials

As global EV adoption accelerates, demand for these minerals has surged dramatically, intensifying concerns around:

• Resource security

• Geopolitical supply-chain risks

• Environmental sustainability

• Battery waste management

Officials say the initiative aims to create a sustainable recycling ecosystem capable of supporting the rapidly expanding EV industry while reducing reliance on imported raw materials.

Advanced Recycling Technologies to Be Developed

The joint programme will support cutting-edge research and industrial innovation focused on:

• High-efficiency battery material recovery

• Advanced recycling technologies

• Safe battery collection systems

• Digitalised logistics and tracking systems

• Pilot-scale industrial demonstrations

• Second-life battery applications

A key feature of the initiative is the planned establishment of a joint India-EU pilot recycling line in India, designed to test and validate innovative recycling technologies under real-world industrial conditions.

The programme is expected to bring together:

• Researchers

• Startups

• Clean-tech companies

• Industry leaders

• Academic institutions

• Public-sector innovation agencies

Focus Areas Include Safety, Inclusion and High Recovery Rates

The call for proposals identifies several strategic focus areas critical for the future of sustainable battery recycling:

• High recovery rates for critical minerals

• Handling mixed battery chemistries

• Safe recycling infrastructure

• Inclusive logistics systems

• Second-life battery applications

• Digitalised recycling supply chains

One of the most innovative aspects of the initiative is its emphasis on integrating informal-sector participation into formal recycling logistics systems while maintaining international safety and environmental standards.

Experts say this could become a major opportunity for India, where informal recycling networks already play a substantial role in waste management and materials recovery.

India's EV Market Driving Urgent Need for Recycling Infrastructure

India's electric mobility market is expanding rapidly under national clean energy and manufacturing initiatives, increasing the urgency of developing domestic recycling capabilities.

Industry analysts warn that without robust recycling infrastructure:

• Battery waste volumes could rise sharply

• Critical mineral dependence could deepen

• Supply-chain vulnerabilities could intensify

• Environmental risks could increase

Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, described the initiative as a pivotal moment in the India-EU strategic partnership.

"This launch is a pivotal moment in the India-EU strategic partnership. As India's EV market continues its rapid expansion, creating a robust domestic recycling ecosystem is essential for our resource security and environmental commitments," he said.

EU and India Strengthen Green Technology Alliance

European Union Ambassador to India Hervé Delphin highlighted the growing importance of batteries in the global green transition and the need for innovation to move beyond laboratory development into large-scale deployment.

"The goal is to translate the innovations from the development phase to real-world deployment; thereby, directly investing in mineral security and shared climate goals," Delphin said.

The initiative reflects the broader strategic evolution of India-EU cooperation in:

• Clean technologies

• Climate innovation

• Sustainable manufacturing

• Green industrial policy

• Strategic raw materials

Circular Economy at the Core of Collaboration

Officials emphasised that the initiative strongly aligns with global efforts to transition toward a circular economy — a model focused on:

• Reusing materials

• Minimising waste

• Recovering strategic resources

• Reducing environmental impact

Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary in the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, said the collaboration represents a major step in building India's circular economy ecosystem.

"This joint initiative marks a critical leap in India's circular economy and catalyses momentum for pioneering a digitalized, inclusive logistics model that integrates the informal sector while ensuring the highest safety standards for second-life applications," she said.

Strategic Supply Chains and Green Industrial Security

The initiative also reflects growing global competition over access to strategic battery materials as countries race to secure clean energy supply chains.

The European Commission's Director-General for Research and Innovation, Marc Lemaître, said the partnership would help strengthen cross-continental value chains for critical minerals and green technologies.

"We are co-creating a resilient, cross-continental value chain that will ensure that the strategic materials of tomorrow remain within our economies," he said.

Analysts note that EV batteries have become central to global industrial competitiveness, with recycling increasingly viewed as a strategic necessity rather than merely an environmental issue.

India-EU TTC Emerging as Major Technology Cooperation Platform

The India-EU Trade and Technology Council has rapidly emerged as one of the most important bilateral platforms for strategic technology cooperation.

Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies focuses on collaboration in areas such as:

• Clean energy systems

• Green hydrogen

• Battery technologies

• Sustainable mobility

• Renewable energy innovation

• Climate-resilient industrial systems

Experts believe the latest recycling initiative could position India as a major global hub for sustainable battery recycling and critical mineral recovery in the coming decade.

Green Transition and Industrial Innovation Converge

As countries worldwide accelerate the transition toward electric mobility and clean energy systems, battery recycling is becoming a critical pillar of long-term sustainability and industrial resilience.

The India-EU partnership signals increasing recognition that future green growth will depend not only on producing batteries, but also on building efficient, secure and environmentally responsible systems to recover and reuse strategic materials.