India Plans National ID System for Batteries

India is moving toward unit-level traceability for electric vehicle (EV) batteries, with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways proposing a Battery Pack Aadhaar Number (BPAN) similar to the ID number assigned to Indian citizens under the Aadhaar scheme.

The BPAN is intended to improve supply chain transparency, enable second-life battery use, support recycling efficiency and strengthen regulatory oversight – which is particularly important given that EVs account for up to 90% of lithium-ion battery demand in India.

Battery producers and importers would be required to assign a 21-character BPAN to every battery they introduce into the market, including those used internally for testing or fleet operations.

If a battery is recycled or repurposed, a new BPAN must be issued, reflecting the start of a new lifecycle.