India’s Energy Storage Market Surges as IESA Prepares to Launch White Paper at SESI 2026

India’s stationary energy storage sector is witnessing rapid expansion, with the cumulative market growing from 122 GWh to 224 GWh within a year, marking a 1.8-fold increase. The surge reflects strong project activity across the country, with approximately 60 GWh currently under execution, 80 GWh in various tendering stages, and 35 GWh already awarded.

According to industry estimates, the total pipeline of battery energy storage system (BESS) projects has reached 92 GWh, while pumped storage projects have expanded significantly from 50 GWh to 132 GWh compared to the previous year. The sector is expected to witness a breakthrough in 2026, with nearly 5 GWh of new capacity projected to be commissioned, representing a substantial rise in installed capacity.

The past year also saw a strong uptick in tender activity, with 69 new BESS tenders totaling 102 GWh issued across India—an increase of 35% compared to 2024 and nearly double the annual tender volume. Major industry developments, including Adani Group’s entry into the storage sector with one of the world’s largest single-location BESS projects and long-duration storage initiatives led by NTPC Limited, are signaling the maturation of the country’s energy storage ecosystem.

Against this backdrop, the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA) is set to unveil a comprehensive White Paper on India’s stationary energy storage market during the Stationary Energy Storage India (SESI) 2026 conference. The event will take place on March 20, 2026, at Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in Dwarka, New Delhi, alongside the Bharat Electricity Summit.

The White Paper, developed in collaboration with Customized Energy Solutions, provides an in-depth assessment of India’s rapidly evolving energy storage sector. It examines market growth trends and outlines pathways to achieve India’s long-term energy goals, including 500 GW of non-fossil fuel power generation by 2030 and over 236 GWh of battery storage capacity by 2032.

Debmalya Sen, President of the India Energy Storage Alliance, noted that the country’s energy storage sector is evolving at an unprecedented scale and pace. He emphasized that the White Paper will serve as a strategic roadmap for policymakers, investors, and industry stakeholders to accelerate deployment and align strategies to support India’s clean energy transition.

Echoing this sentiment, Vinayak Walimbe, Managing Director of Customized Energy Solutions, said the report aims to encourage collaboration among industry, government, and innovators to strengthen India’s grid resilience and support the transition toward a sustainable energy future.

SESI 2026 is expected to bring together more than 300 participants, including policymakers, utilities, developers, technology providers, and investors from over 10 countries. The conference will feature keynote addresses from senior government officials, including Shripad Yesso Naik, Minister of State for Power and New & Renewable Energy, as well as representatives from the Ministry of Power India, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy India, Solar Energy Corporation of India, Central Electricity Authority, and Grid Controller of India Limited.

The White Paper also highlights recent policy developments shaping the sector, including the implementation of Energy Storage Obligations (ESO), Viability Gap Funding (VGF), and the formal recognition of energy storage under the Electricity Amendment Rules 2025. It projects that India could achieve up to 544 GWh of cumulative BESS capacity and 143 GW of pumped hydro installations by 2033, while unlocking new market segments such as merchant BESS, storage-backed green hydrogen, and commercial and industrial decarbonization.

Industry experts believe SESI 2026 will serve as a key platform for advancing partnerships, discussing regulatory frameworks, and accelerating the deployment of energy storage technologies across India’s power value chain.