Indigenous Lithium Will Be Available In 17 Years To EV Industry: Govt

It will take around 16 to 17 years to make lithium, found in Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan, viable and available for the electric vehicle industry in the India, Gaurav Joshi, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries said on Tuesday.

While addressing the gathering at “Sustainable supply chains for EV batteries”, organised by Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) in collaboration with International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) Joshi said, “We have found the lithium in Jammu & Kashmir and Rajasthan, but according to my knowledge it will take around 16 to 17 years to make it viable and available for the industry.”

He also said that the electric vehicle sector is booming in India and it’s real. He said in the last four years India sold around 3.66 lakh vehicles and the country has passed this mark in just three and a half months this year.

“The EV sector is booming in India and its real. In last four years we sold around 3.66 lakh vehicles and in first three and half months this year, we have already passed it so, it means that we already exploding. Last year our spend in FAME Scheme was INR 8,00 crore and now we have made it already INR 24,00 crore,” Joshi said.

He said that we need to look out for newer ways which can be more resilient when the disruption comes in. “We have to look out where would be going around three to five year down the line. Our focus needs to be at this moment so that when we go to the next stage we know what can be the problematic areas,” he added.  

Meanwhile, Sanjiva De Silva, Counsellor – Energy and Resources, Australian High Commission said that Australia is implementing various strategies to boost ties with India in electric vehicle segment.

Speaking at the event, Silva said, “In order to become a better partner to India, Australia is implementing various strategies. We can safely say that the demand of electric vehicles that Australia is going to generate is probably not going to shift dial on Indian manufacturing of EVs but certainly we are also implementing measures that will mean that our electric vehicle industry is open and ready to welcome Indian vehicles.”