India will soon start producing first indigenous Lithium Ion batteries. A memorandum of understanding for transfer of technology for India’s first Lithium Ion (Li-ion) Battery project was signed yesterday between CSIR’s Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI), Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu and RAASI Solar Power Pvt Ltd.

In a release Ministry of Science and Technology said, at present India depends on countries like China, Japan and South Korea for import of Lithium Ion batteries. India imported Li-Ion batteries worth 150 million dollar in 2017 and is one of its largest importers in the world.

Speaking after the signing of MoUs, Science and technology minister Harsh Vardhan said, the project is in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi vision of "Make in India", to turn India into a manufacturing hub and to cut down outflow of foreign exchange.

He said it will give tremendous boost to two flagship programmes of Mr Modi - increasing the share of Clean Energy in the energy basket by generating 175 Giga Watts by 2022 and the second, National Electric Mobility Mission, to switch completely to electric vehicles by 2030.

The indigenous technology of Lithium-ion cells has been developed by a group of CSIR-CECRI headed by Dr Gopu Kumar in partnership with other Laboratory and Research Institute.