A high-level team from Japan visited Lohum Cleantech’s operations in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, to discuss potential areas of cooperation, the company announced on Friday. Lohum is recognized as the leading lithium-ion battery recycling and materials recovery company in India.
The visiting group included representatives from several key Japanese institutions: the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), and the Ministry of Finance. The agenda covered joint investment prospects, advanced technology exchange, extraction of valuable resources from electronic waste, and building a clean, reliable supply chain for energy materials.
Rajat Verma, CEO of Lohum, commented, “This collaboration between India and Japan sets a new benchmark for eco-friendly and resilient supply networks.” The company highlighted the significance of the visit, describing it as more than a routine tour—it marks a growing recognition of India’s position in the global landscape of battery recycling and strategic resource management.
Lohum’s refining processes can handle a wide variety of input materials, including batteries of all chemistries, industrial waste from multiple industries, and tailings from mined concentrates and intermediates. This flexibility supports its broader goal of establishing a robust and diversified supply chain for critical minerals in India.
The new refinery supports India’s National Critical Minerals Mission, a ₹34,000 crore initiative introduced in the 2025 budget to promote exploration, processing, and research in critical minerals. By building a strong domestic supply chain for lithium, Lohum is helping strengthen India’s mineral security and reduce reliance on global supply chains.
India is projected to require approximately 300,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate in the near future. To meet this demand, Lohum has established a global supply chain for sourcing spent lithium-ion batteries and has secured memorandums of understanding with mining sources.
Lohum currently operates eight facilities, including India’s largest lithium and cobalt refineries in Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, and one in Gujarat. The company is also developing two additional sites in South India and expanding internationally with joint ventures in the United States and Sharjah (UAE), with plans for further expansion in the European Union.
