Business APAC
June 6, 2025
For years, it’s been the missing piece in India’s tech puzzle. Now, a startup in Chennai claims to have found it.
Boson Cell, a local company with big ambitions, just switched on the nation’s first production line for indigenous lithium cell manufacturing. It’s a move aimed squarely at ending the country’s near-total dependence on foreign suppliers, especially from China, for the tiny batteries that run our modern world.
The company launched two flagship cells on Wednesday, the 18350 B-30A and the 21700 B-50A. This isn’t just a corporate milestone; it’s a signal. A signal that India is ready to stop asking for, and start building, its critical technology.
A Homegrown Answer to a Billion-Dollar Problem
Let’s be clear: this is a huge deal. India buys nearly all its lithium-ion cells from abroad. Boson is betting it can change that.
Their main pitch? Performance. The company claims its cells will survive 1,000 charge cycles. That’s almost three times the life you get from many of the cheaper, common imports. For anyone who has watched a battery die too soon, that promise is everything.
“Look, we got tired of waiting for someone else to do it,” said Guru Punghavan, Boson Cell’s CEO, speaking at the launch. “Our goal with indigenous lithium cell manufacturing wasn’t just to make a ‘Made in India’ sticker. It was to make a better cell. A tougher one. One that our industries can rely on.”
He’s got a point. Government initiatives like ‘Make in India’ have been pushing for this for years, but it takes a company willing to take the risk. Boson is that company.
The Ripple Effect
So, who needs these cells? Everyone.
Think about India’s drone industry, which is exploding. Drones need power that’s light and lasts long. This is a perfect fit.
But the real prize is electric vehicles. The high cost and shaky supply of batteries are the biggest roadblocks to getting more EVs on Indian roads. A steady supply of locally made cells could untangle that mess. More indigenous lithium cell manufacturing means more control over the supply chain and, hopefully, cheaper EVs for all of us.
“This is the start of something real,” commented an industry analyst. “For a long time, we’ve only assembled battery packs here. Making the actual cell change the conversation. It creates skills, jobs, and attracts more investment.”
What’s Next for Boson?
The company isn’t trying to boil the ocean overnight. The cells are first hitting shelves and online stores in South India. The plan is to go national, but they’re starting smart. They’re also promising smaller order sizes and quicker deliveries than importers—a huge advantage for smaller tech companies and startups.
Boson aims to capture 10% of the cell market by 2030. It’s an aggressive goal, but the opportunity is massive.
No one knows if this one company can single-handedly shift an entire industry. But for the first time, India has a horse in the race. Boson Cell has flipped the switch, and now, the country waits to see just how much power this homegrown effort can unleash.
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