KOLKATA, India — One day after Himadri Speciality Chemical formally commissioned India's first domestically produced lithium-ion anode material plant, the facility is attracting significant attention from international battery manufacturers looking to reduce their dependence on Chinese graphite suppliers. Industry analysts and company officials confirmed Friday that preliminary discussions are underway with South Korean and Japanese battery cell producers, including representatives linked to the broader LG Energy Solution and Panasonic supply ecosystems.

The plant, located in West Bengal, is capable of producing advanced graphite-based anode materials critical to the performance of electric vehicle and stationary energy storage batteries. Its commissioning arrives at a strategically significant moment: China controls roughly 80 percent of global natural graphite processing, and Western governments as well as Japan and South Korea have been pressing battery makers to establish alternative sourcing relationships.

Himadri's move is seen as complementary to broader Indian government ambitions under the Production Linked Incentive scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell batteries. Officials from India's Ministry of Heavy Industries declined to comment on specific partnership negotiations, but reiterated that the government views domestic anode material production as a strategic priority for energy security.

Japanese chemical firm Nippon Shokubai's parallel announcement this week that it is sharply scaling up lithium salt output in China underscores the intensifying global competition to secure battery material supply chains. Analysts at BloombergNEF noted Friday that India's entry into anode material production, even at modest initial volumes, adds a credible non-Chinese node to an otherwise concentrated supply network.

Himadri executives indicated the plant will initially serve domestic Indian battery assemblers before targeting export contracts. The company expects to publish formal capacity figures and customer agreements in the coming weeks, with an investor briefing tentatively scheduled for mid-May. Shares of Himadri Speciality Chemical rose approximately 4 percent on the Bombay Stock Exchange in early Friday trading on renewed investor interest.