The gigafactory strengthens India’s domestic battery supply chain, accelerating the clean‑energy transition and reducing import dependence, while creating significant employment in Andhra Pradesh.
India’s rapid expansion of solar and wind capacity, coupled with ambitious electric‑vehicle targets, has created a pressing need for large‑scale energy‑storage solutions. The government’s “Make in India” and battery‑manufacturing incentives aim to cut the country’s reliance on imported lithium‑ion cells, which currently account for the bulk of domestic demand. Andhra Pradesh, under Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, has positioned itself as a clean‑energy hub through its Integrated Clean Energy (ICE) policy, attracting solar‑module plants, wind farms and now a battery gigafactory. This strategic focus seeks to create an end‑to‑end ecosystem that links generation, equipment production and storage.
Waaree Energies’ ₹8,175 crore investment will establish a greenfield gigafactory with a 16 GWh annual output, covering the full battery value chain from cell fabrication to pack assembly and utility‑scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). The plant is expected to employ roughly 3,000 workers, providing high‑skill jobs in a region eager for industrial diversification. By localising critical components, the facility will shorten supply‑chain lead times and lower costs for renewable project developers and EV manufacturers, directly addressing the bottlenecks that have slowed India’s clean‑energy rollout.
The project’s ripple effects extend beyond Andhra Pradesh. A domestic source of lithium‑ion batteries will help power the nation’s EV fleet, support grid‑balancing for intermittent renewables, and reduce the trade deficit linked to battery imports. Moreover, the gigafactory reinforces India’s credibility in the global battery market, potentially attracting ancillary suppliers and fostering innovation clusters. As the world pivots toward decarbonisation, the Waaree gigafactory exemplifies how regional policy incentives, sizable private capital and clear market demand can converge to accelerate the clean‑energy transition.
By Srikanth Aluri, TIMESOFINDIA.COM · Published on Feb 20, 2026 at 04:50 PM IST
Waaree is investing ₹8,175 crore in the project, which has the potential to create 3,000 jobs.
Andhra Pradesh has bagged yet another marquee investment in the clean‑energy sector, with Waaree Energies choosing the state for its integrated lithium‑ion battery gigafactory, which will be the largest in the country.
Waaree is investing ₹8,175 crore in the project, which has the potential to create 3,000 jobs, officials said. The project will be a major addition to AP’s clean‑energy manufacturing ecosystem. The state has so far attracted huge investments in solar, wind, hybrid, and pumped‑storage projects. The greenfield facility, with a proposed capacity of 16 GWh, will cover the entire battery value chain, including cell manufacturing, battery packs, and large‑scale battery energy storage systems (BESS). The State Investment Promotion Board in its recent meeting chaired by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu gave approval to the project.
ITEC and HRD minister Nara Lokesh said the project will strengthen domestic manufacturing in the energy‑storage sector and reduce import dependence. Lokesh said the gigafactory will play a key role in supporting India’s transition to clean energy.
AP has attracted substantial investments in renewable power generation and solar‑module manufacturing under its Integrated Clean Energy (ICE) policy. The Waaree facility is expected to add a critical storage component to the clean‑energy value chain. The new unit is expected to support the growing demand for energy storage from solar and wind projects, electric‑vehicle (EV) infrastructure, and power utilities.
The project is part of the state’s broader plan to build an integrated clean‑energy ecosystem linking power generation, equipment manufacturing, and storage systems. In recent years, Andhra Pradesh has focused on developing industrial clusters with supporting infrastructure and policy incentives to attract advanced‑manufacturing investments, Lokesh said.
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