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India’s Battery Storage Demand Set to Surge by 2031-32

lite News Desk 2 min read

At a glance

  • India’s BESS demand projected to reach 236.22 GWh by FY 2031-32.
  • Estimated ₹3.49 trillion investment needed for BESS expansion.
  • Total energy storage requirement expected at 411.4 GWh by FY 2031-32.

India’s battery energy storage system (BESS) requirements are forecast to expand rapidly over the next several years, with projections indicating a substantial increase by the early 2030s.

The Central Electricity Authority has projected that BESS demand will rise from about 34.7 GWh in FY 2026-27 to 236.22 GWh by FY 2031-32. This increase represents nearly a seven-fold growth in battery storage needs within a five-year period.

To achieve this projected capacity, an estimated investment of approximately ₹3.49 trillion would be required. The expansion of BESS is part of a broader effort to meet India’s overall energy storage targets, which also include pumped storage plants (PSP.

India’s total energy storage requirement, combining BESS and PSP, is expected to reach 411.4 GWh by FY 2031-32. Of this total, 236.22 GWh is anticipated to come from BESS, while 175.18 GWh would be provided by PSP.

What the numbers show

  • BESS demand projected to rise from 34.7 GWh in FY 2026-27 to 236.22 GWh by FY 2031-32.
  • Investment of around ₹3.49 trillion required for BESS by FY 2031-32.
  • Total energy storage requirement (BESS + PSP) expected at 411.4 GWh by FY 2031-32.

Between January and June 2026, India added about 8.2 GWh of new BESS capacity. This figure marks a substantial increase compared to less than 0.1 GWh added during the same period in 2025, reflecting a rapid acceleration in deployment.

As of August 2026, the combined capacity of operational, under-construction, awarded, and tendered BESS projects in India reached approximately 176.66 GWh. This total includes projects at various stages of development and implementation.

The proportion of BESS in India’s total energy storage requirement is also projected to grow. The share is expected to increase from about 42 % in FY 2026-27 to roughly 57 % by FY 2031-32, indicating a shift toward battery-based solutions within the country’s energy storage mix.

These developments reflect the scale of infrastructure and financial commitments associated with India’s energy transition targets. The outlined projections are based on data from the Central Electricity Authority and reports published by Rubix Data Sciences.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.

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