Under the framework of the EU-India Trade & Technology Council (TTC), the European Union and the Government of India have announced a third coordinated call for proposals aimed at the recycling of electric vehicle (EV) batteries. With a combined funding pool of €15.2 million ($17.8 million), the initiative represents a major advancement in bilateral efforts to secure critical raw materials and accelerate the transition to a circular economy.
The project (HORIZON-CL5-2026-09-D2-04) is jointly funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme and India’s Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI). It seeks to foster collaboration between top-tier researchers, industry leaders, and startups from both regions to develop scalable, high-efficiency recycling technologies.
The partnership aims to address the surging global demand for EVs by transforming battery waste into a “virtual mine.” By recovering high-purity strategic materials such as lithium, graphite, and cobalt, the EU and India intend to reduce their reliance on international imports. The scale of the opportunity is significant; by 2030, India alone is projected to have 128 GWh of recyclable battery capacity.
A cornerstone of this initiative is the establishment of a joint EU-India pilot line in India. This facility will enable the real-world validation and industrial deployment of innovative processes, targeting high Technology Readiness Levels (TRL 7–8).
The joint call will focus on several advanced technical areas to push recycling capabilities beyond current industry standards:
- High material recovery: Developing processes for lithium and cathode active material (CAM)-ready purity.
- Mixed chemistry versatility: Creating flexible methods capable of handling diverse current and future battery types.
- Safe logistics: Implementing digitalised collection systems that integrate the informal sector to ensure zero-risk logistics.
- Second-life applications: Advancing diagnostics to determine the suitability of used batteries for secondary storage applications.
This initiative follows the 2025 TTC ministerial meeting in New Delhi and aligns with the EU Batteries Regulation and India’s Battery Waste Management Rules 2022. It reinforces the work of TTC Working Group 2, which focuses on Green and Clean Energy Technologies.
As the EU’s second such council following the EU-US TTC, the platform underscores the deepening geopolitical and economic alignment between the two regions. Proposers must form joint consortia featuring balanced participation from both EU and Indian organisations. The deadline for submissions is 15 September 2026.
