SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure | SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | SDG 13: Climate Action
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) | Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) | NITI Aayog | Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI)
The Draft Guidelines for Implementation of Battery Pack Aadhaar System, introduce an indigenous digital identification framework designed to ensure end-to-end traceability of batteries in India. Developed by a MoRTH-constituted committee, the system provides a “common digital spine” for the battery lifecycle—from raw material extraction and manufacturing to second-life usage and final recycling.
The framework systematically organizes battery data into three distinct access levels:
Alphanumeric Code (BPAN): A 21-character physical identifier providing publicly accessible, offline information such as country code, manufacturer ID, and basic specifications.
QR Code Section: A static dataset accessible to authorized stakeholders (like recyclers) containing technical details on material composition, disassembly methods, and carbon footprints.
Server-Based Dynamic Data (BDD): A lean, secure digital layer that tracks evolving parameters such as State of Health (SoH), usage conditions, and safety incidents throughout the battery’s life.
The policy follows a phased rollout strategy, prioritizing Electric Vehicle (EV) batteries (L, M, and N categories) and industrial batteries with a capacity greater than 2 kWh. Phase 1 focuses on identification, Phase 2 on material circularity and dynamic events, and Phase 3 on advanced carbon footprint reporting.
What is the ‘State of Health’ (SoH) validation? It is a critical dynamic metric that reflects a battery’s current condition and performance ability compared to its initial “as-new” state. Under the Battery Aadhaar system, SoH is validated using cumulative metrics like temperature history and charge throughput, enabling a trusted “digital chain-of-custody” for batteries transitioning into second-life applications or recycling.
Policy Relevance
The Battery Pack Aadhaar is a strategic enabler for Atmanirbhar Bharat, specifically designed to support India’s unique market scale and its dominance in 2W/3W electric mobility. It moves India toward a circular economy by making battery data accessible, auditable, and standardized across diverse stakeholders.
Strategic Impact for India:
Verifying Local Value Addition: The system allows the government to verify if cells used in battery packs are produced domestically, a mandatory requirement for incentives under the ACC PLI (Production Linked Incentive) scheme.
Enabling the Used EV Market: By providing a tamper-proof record of a battery’s health (SoH), the Aadhaar system builds trust for second-hand vehicle buyers and financiers, a key barrier to EV adoption in India.
Waste Management Compliance: The system automates tracking for the Battery Waste Management Rules, 2022, ensuring that producers meet their Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) targets for material recovery.
Global Interoperability: While “India-first,” the data model is extensible to align with international standards like the EU Battery Passport, facilitating future cross-border trade and regulatory harmony.
Relevant Question for Policy Stakeholders: How will MoRTH and the Ministry of Heavy Industries integrate the Battery Pack Aadhaar data with the ‘VAHAN’ database to ensure that the 4% job reservation for athletes in Ladakh—or any other citizen-centric benefit—does not suffer from the same ‘digital silos’ the Aadhaar system aims to break?
Follow the full guidelines here: GUIDELINES FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF BATTERY PACK AADHAAR SYSTEM