India’s import of batteries from China climbed to $2.9 billion in the first five months of FY27, making it the sixth‑largest Chinese import item. The jump is a direct reflection of the country’s electric‑vehicle boom, with battery purchases now eclipsing electronic instruments, electric machinery, plastic raw materials and residual chemicals.
The surge has pushed two‑ and three‑wheeler imports to $107 million, while car imports led by BYD rose 2.6× to $226 million in the same period, up from $87 million a year earlier.
Domestic battery makers, hampered by the failure of the PLI scheme, are largely re‑packaging cells sourced from China. Meanwhile, telecom equipment and electronic components grew over 40% in the first five months, widening the trade deficit to nearly $56 billion.
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Commerce & Industry Minister Piyush Goyal have warned that the deficit is unsustainable, calling for a fair deal. S&P Global chief economist Paul Grunwald said China’s all‑spectrum dominance blocks India’s industrial climb.
Industry think‑tank founder Ajay Srivastava cautioned that a sudden halt in Chinese supply would hit pharma, electronics machinery and chemicals, urging deeper domestic capacity. The government will convene a committee to examine import tariffs ahead of the next fiscal review.