Sanand: Agratas, the Tata Group’s global battery business, is progressing rapidly at its Sanand site in India, with the steel frame now complete. This marks a pivotal step towards operational readiness, with production expected to commence in 2027, a press release said.

The steel frame, now complete, spans 700 metres in length, 150 metres in width, and rises to 34 metres at its highest point, covering a built-up area of 105,000 square metres. Over 24,000 tonnes of steel have been deployed in the main structure, with work on associated buildings progressing in parallel. At peak construction, over 2,500 skilled workers were engaged on-site simultaneously.

The project is being executed by Tata Projects Limited, in collaboration with Tata Consulting Engineers (TCE) and multiple steel contractors. All the steel and a majority of the other materials have been sourced from across India, supporting domestic supply chains and industrial capabilities while reducing dependence on imports, the company said.

Sharing his perspective, Sudhir Ghalsasi, Vice President, Capital Delivery, Agratas, said: “This milestone reflects the scale, complexity, and pace of execution at Sanand. In a dynamic and evolving environment, translating detailed designs into on-ground reality comes with its own set of challenges. What began as a vision is now taking shape through strong collaboration, disciplined execution, and a shared commitment across teams. Together with our partners, we’ve turned our plans into tangible progress, building a future-ready facility that will deliver long-term value.”

The company further said that India has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2070 and has set an ambitious target of 500 GW of non-fossil fuel energy capacity by 2030. Achieving these goals requires rapid acceleration in both electric mobility and grid-scale energy storage, supported by a robust domestic supply of advanced battery cells.

With an annual capacity of 20 GWh in its first phase, Agratas’ Sanand facility will be central to meeting this demand. Once operational, it will produce advanced battery cells for electric vehicles and energy storage applications, enabling a faster and more affordable transition away from fossil fuels and positioning India as a key player in the global battery value chain.

The project is also expected to generate significant employment across the region, spanning production, operations, maintenance, quality assurance, engineering, and technical functions. Agratas is investing in workforce development for local talent, building a strong pipeline of skilled professionals to support the growing battery manufacturing ecosystem in India.

Deepak Khare, Vice President, Manufacturing Operations, Agratas, said: “Completing the steel frame at Sanand marks an important step in our journey towards operational readiness. As we move forward, our focus is on building the systems, processes, and capabilities required to deliver reliable, world-class batteries made in India for the world, while developing a highly skilled workforce to support safe and high-quality manufacturing.”

As Agratas continues to advance its industrialisation phase, the Sanand facility will be central to strengthening India’s battery ecosystem and supporting the growth of sustainable mobility and the clean energy ecosystem. DeshGujarat