Under the India-EU Trade and Technology Council (TTC), India and the European Union have launched a coordinated call for proposals focused on electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling. The announcement was made on 5 May 2026, with submissions open until 15 September 2026. The initiative falls under TTC Working Group 2, which focuses on green and clean energy technologies.
Funding Structure and Scope
The total funding pool stands at €15.2 million (approximately ₹169 crore). The European share will be funded through the Horizon Europe programme, while the Indian component will be supported by the Ministry of Heavy Industries. The programme aims to support projects that address EV battery recycling challenges and improve access to critical raw materials.
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Focus Areas of the Programme
The call will support work across several areas, including:
- High recovery rates of materials such as lithium, cobalt, and graphite
- Handling of batteries with mixed chemistries
- Development of collection and logistics systems
- Safety standards and second-life use of batteries
It will also include pilot-scale demonstration of recycling technologies and the establishment of a joint India–EU pilot line in India.
Industry and Research Collaboration
The initiative is designed to bring together research institutions, industry participants, and startups from both regions. The goal is to test and validate recycling technologies under real-world conditions and support their potential industrial deployment.
Official Statements
According to Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, the initiative is linked to the need for a domestic recycling ecosystem as EV adoption grows.
Hervé Delphin, Ambassador of the European Union to India, stated that battery technologies are central to the energy transition and require practical deployment alongside research.
Dr. Parvinder Maini from the Office of the PSA referred to the role of digital systems and logistics models, including integration of informal sector participants.
Marc Lemaître of the European Commission highlighted cooperation between India and the EU in building supply chains for critical materials.
Elctrik Speaks
The joint call indicates a shift towards building recycling capacity alongside EV adoption, with emphasis on material recovery and supply chain resilience.