The National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage (NMTMBS) is a Government of India initiative launched in 2019 to promote clean mobility, advanced battery manufacturing, and the development of a complete domestic electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem.
The Mission aims to reduce India’s dependence on imported fossil fuels and battery cells while positioning India as a global manufacturing hub for advanced energy storage technologies.
Background
India imports a significant portion of its crude oil and almost all advanced battery cells used in electric vehicles and energy storage systems.
Recognising that batteries are the most expensive component of EVs, the Government launched the Mission to build an indigenous battery manufacturing ecosystem.
The Mission is coordinated by NITI Aayog and supports multiple ministries, including the Ministry of Heavy Industries, Ministry of Power, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy and Ministry of Mines.
Objectives
The Mission aims to:
- accelerate electric mobility
- establish domestic manufacturing of Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC)
- reduce dependence on imported lithium-ion batteries
- strengthen energy security
- promote Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat
- develop an integrated EV supply chain
- encourage battery recycling and circular economy
- support renewable energy storage
Key Components
1. Electric Mobility
The Mission promotes rapid adoption of electric mobility by encouraging:
- electric two-wheelers
- electric three-wheelers
- electric cars
- electric buses
- commercial EVs
It complements schemes such as PM E-DRIVE and earlier FAME India Scheme.
2. Advanced Chemistry Cell (ACC) Manufacturing
The Mission focuses on domestic production of Advanced Chemistry Cells (ACC), which are high-performance rechargeable batteries used in:
- electric vehicles
- renewable energy storage
- grid-scale battery storage
- defence equipment
- consumer electronics
To support this objective, the Government launched the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for ACC Battery Storage, under which a manufacturing capacity of 50 GWh has been approved. This scheme seeks to create a globally competitive battery manufacturing industry in India.
3. Battery Ecosystem Development
The Mission promotes the complete battery value chain, including:
- battery cell manufacturing
- battery pack assembly
- battery management systems (BMS)
- testing and certification
- battery recycling
- critical mineral supply chain
- research and development
Why Battery Storage is Important
Battery storage is critical because renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are intermittent.
Advanced battery systems help in:
- storing excess renewable electricity
- grid balancing
- peak load management
- reducing renewable energy curtailment
- improving energy reliability
Battery storage is therefore essential for India’s clean energy transition.
Link with Other Government Initiatives
The Mission complements several national programmes, including:
- PM E-DRIVE Scheme
- PLI Scheme for ACC Battery Storage
- National Green Hydrogen Mission
- National Programme on Advanced Chemistry Cell Manufacturing
- Make in India
- Aatmanirbhar Bharat
- National Electric Mobility Mission Plan
- Critical Minerals Mission
Together, these initiatives seek to create an integrated clean energy and mobility ecosystem.
Importance for Energy Security
India imports most of its petroleum requirements and remains dependent on imports for battery cells and several critical minerals.
The Mission aims to improve energy security by:
- reducing crude oil consumption
- lowering battery imports
- promoting domestic manufacturing
- strengthening supply chain resilience
- supporting indigenous technology development
Economic Significance
The Mission is expected to:
- attract large-scale investment
- create employment
- promote high-technology manufacturing
- develop battery supply chains
- boost exports
- strengthen India’s EV industry
- improve industrial competitiveness
It also encourages localisation of components rather than merely assembling imported batteries.
Environmental Benefits
The Mission contributes to:
- reduction in vehicular emissions
- lower greenhouse gas emissions
- improved urban air quality
- increased renewable energy integration
- sustainable transport
- battery recycling
- circular economy
Challenges
Despite significant progress, several challenges remain.
Major concerns include:
- dependence on imported lithium, cobalt and nickel
- limited domestic reserves of critical minerals
- high battery manufacturing costs
- technology dependence
- battery recycling infrastructure
- charging infrastructure gaps
- skilled workforce requirements
- battery safety standards
- rapid technological changes
To address these issues, India is diversifying critical mineral supply through overseas partnerships and expanding domestic exploration.
Significance
The National Mission on Transformative Mobility and Battery Storage is India’s long-term strategy for building a globally competitive battery manufacturing and electric mobility ecosystem.
Its importance lies in:
- accelerating EV adoption
- strengthening battery manufacturing
- reducing import dependence
- improving energy security
- promoting advanced manufacturing
- supporting renewable energy integration
- generating employment
- enabling India’s transition towards a low-carbon economy
The Mission recognises that future mobility will depend as much on battery technology as on vehicles themselves, making battery manufacturing a strategic sector for India’s economic and energy future.
