INL looks to enter battery recycling with key acquisition

Indo National Ltd (INL), the maker of Nippo batteries, is preparing to enter the battery recycling segment, aligning its strategy with India’s growing focus on circular economy practices. The move comes as the company plans to diversify operations while meeting rising compliance requirements under the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022.

The company plans to acquire aerospace firm Axial Aero Pvt Ltd and enter the battery recycling business in near future.

According to CEO Pavan Kumar BVS, INL is evaluating the establishment of a dedicated battery recycling facility within the next three to four months. India produces nearly two billion dry-cell batteries annually, yet recycling infrastructure for this segment remains limited. While lithium-ion battery recycling has gained traction, the dry-cell segment presents a significant gap that INL aims to address.

The CEO held that their battery waste management obligations will increase over the next 1-2 years. He said that while there are players recycling lithium-ion batteries, there are none in the dry-cell battery segment. INL is evaluating entry into the recycling business and plan to set up a facility within the next three to four months.

The initiative is expected to strengthen INL’s sustainability credentials while reducing environmental impact through resource recovery and reuse. By building a structured recycling ecosystem, the company aims to contribute to responsible battery disposal and material circularity.

The company looks to acquire a 51% stake in Axial Aero and as part of this collaboration, INL is working on India’s first indigenously developed flight simulator for civil and defence aviation, currently under development in Hyderabad. The battery waste management plans of INL signal a clear shift toward environmentally responsible growth in one of India’s most underdeveloped recycling sectors.