India-EU Council Calls for Proposals for New EV Battery Recycling Technology, Development of "Virtual Mine"

The Government of India and the European Union have called for proposals from companies, startups, and academic institutions in the EV battery recycling space, to apply for funding under the framework of the bilateral EU-India Trade & Technology Council (TTC).

With growing demand for electric vehicles, governments and industry players around the world are strategising to promote the recovery of critical rare earth materials such as lithium, graphite, and cobalt to reduce reliance on imports. The TTC aims to support the development of new recycling technology including high-efficiency, safe, and digitised material collection and recovery systems.

The call for proposals envisages a “virtual mine”, created out of battery waste, allowing for the recovery of high-purity materials which will be used to manufacture new batteries. Applicants must illustrate a pathway to ensuring high material recovery rates, handling mixed chemistry keeping current and future battery compositions in mind, digitalised logistics solutions that formalise the informal sector, advanced diagnostics, and active safety measures.

The TTC’s Working Group 2 on Green and Clean Energy Technologies has a pool of €15.2 million (approximately ₹169 Crore), funded jointly by the EU’s Horizon Europe research and innovation incubator along with India’s Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI). The initiative aims to promote strategic, economic, and geopolitical alignment between the EU and India to secure future supplies of critical raw materials, and encourage the development of a global circular economy by bringing together top-tier academics and businesspeople from both India and the EU.

The working group is aligned with the objectives of the EU Batteries Regulation and India’s Battery Waste Management Rules 2022, reinforcing a shared commitment to sustainable and circular battery value chains. Proposals must be jointly developed by EU and Indian consortia, ensuring balanced participation. The submission deadline is September 15, 2026.

Hervé Delphin, Ambassador of the European Union to India, said “Batteries sit at the core of the green transition, with their components far too strategic to be discarded after a single use. By launching this joint call, we are uniting European and Indian expertise into a single team to solve one of the most pressing challenges of our time. Our goal is to take these innovations all the way from the development phase to real-world deployment — a move that represents a direct investment in our mineral security and our shared climate goals”.

Professor Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, said "The launch of this joint call marks 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. By integrating advanced digital solutions and engaging the informal sector, this collaboration will turn battery waste into a high-value resource, fostering an innovation-led 'virtual mine' that supports our vision of a sustainable, self-reliant future."

Proposals will have to specify pilot-scale demonstration of their innovative processes in India, demonstrating real-world validation and industrial deployment. They must also establish benchmark figures to show progress beyond current best-case scenarios, and include assessment of environmental impact.