Reliance says battery cell manufacturing plans remain on track

Reliance Industries Ltd has said its plans to manufacture battery cells in India remain on track, pushing back against a report that said the company had called off cell production after failing to secure technology from a Chinese partner.

“There has been no change in our plans for creating a world leading battery storage manufacturing ecosystem from cell to containerized energy storage systems, and these plans are progressing well in line with our target timelines,” a Reliance spokesperson told Reuters.

The clarification came hours after Bloomberg reported that Reliance had paused its lithium-ion battery cell plans following unsuccessful talks with Xiamen Hithium Energy Storage Technology, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to Bloomberg, the Chinese company withdrew from the proposed technology arrangement after Beijing tightened export controls on battery-related technologies, leaving Reliance without a clear path to licensed cell manufacturing.

Reliance’s response did not directly address the status of its discussions with Hithium or whether that specific partnership has collapsed. Instead, it reiterated the company’s broader ambition to build an end-to-end battery manufacturing ecosystem in India, covering cells, packs and containerized energy storage systems.

Bloomberg’s report had pointed to a setback in one critical component of the plan: access to proven lithium-ion cell technology from China, which still dominates global battery manufacturing know-how. Reliance, meanwhile, is framing the issue at a higher level, arguing that the overall program remains intact even if individual technology paths evolve.

China has been tightening controls on exports of strategic clean-energy technologies, including lithium battery materials and manufacturing know-how. In October last year, Beijing introduced permit requirements and enhanced scrutiny for certain battery-related exports, part of a broader effort to retain technological leverage as Western and Asian economies race to localize clean-energy supply chains. Those curbs have complicated technology transfer discussions for companies outside China, particularly in batteries, solar equipment and advanced materials.

According to Bloomberg, those restrictions were a decisive factor in derailing Reliance’s talks with Hithium, forcing the Indian conglomerate to reassess how quickly it can move into large-scale cell manufacturing. The report suggested that Reliance may, for now, place greater emphasis on assembling battery energy storage systems while it explores alternative technology options for cells.

Reliance’s battery ambitions are a central pillar of its push into clean energy and manufacturing. Through its new energy arm, the company has committed billions of dollars to building capacity across solar modules, energy storage and related technologies, with Jamnagar positioned as a key manufacturing hub.

It has also secured government backing under India’s production-linked incentive scheme for advanced chemistry cell batteries, underscoring the strategic importance New Delhi places on domestic battery capacity.