India's first Lithium Ion cells to be ready by 2019

First set of made-in-India Lithium Ion cells, widely used in mobile phones, are expected to be available in market by April 2019 from factory of Munoth Industries, according to Indian Cellular Association.

The company is planning to invest Rs 799 crore in the facility, it added.

"Munoth Industries Limited is setting up India's first Lithium ion cell project at an outlay of Rs 799 crores (in 3 phases) at Electronic Manufacturing Cluster...The Phase I of the project will be ready to deliver Lithium ion cells by April 2019," mobile device industry body ICA said in a note.

The plant is being set up in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh and will have a capacity of 1 million ampere hour (Ah) per day.

"The project will provide employment to 1,700 people," the note said.

The phase one of the project will have production capacity of 2,00,000 Ah per day with an investment of Rs 165 crores.

At present Lithium ion cells are imported and battery packs are assembled in India using the imported cells.

"There is no Lithium ion cell manufacturing facility in India and the project of Munoth Industries will be a pioneer in this space. About 20 battery pack assembly units exist in the country," the note said.