Lohum Targets India’s EV Boom With 30,000-Ton Lithium Refining Plan After First Overseas Mining Launch

Lohum, an Indian company focused on critical minerals, is turning its attention to the country’s fast-growing electric vehicle sector after launching what it says is India’s first overseas lithium mining operation.

Speaking with Nikkei Asia, founder and CEO Rajat Verma said the company intends to build domestic capacity to refine lithium into battery-grade material, with a target of 30,000 metric tons of lithium carbonate output per year. The goal is to supply India’s EV and battery manufacturers with a key input that is currently dominated by imports.

The shift comes shortly after Lohum opened a lithium mine in Zimbabwe, marking a notable step for an Indian business seeking to secure raw materials abroad. Verma told Nikkei Asia that establishing processing capability in Zimbabwe was a strategic move for the company, aligning with its broader effort to reduce India’s dependence on China across the lithium supply chain.

China today plays an outsized role in global lithium processing and in the downstream battery ecosystem, and Indian firms have been searching for ways to diversify sourcing and build domestic capability. Lohum’s approach links an overseas mining foothold with planned refining inside India—an attempt to create a more resilient route from ore to battery chemicals for the local market.

The company’s planned 30,000-ton annual lithium carbonate refining capacity would be aimed squarely at India’s domestic EV ambitions, where demand for lithium-based batteries is expected to expand rapidly as automakers and policymakers push electrification. By producing refined lithium carbonate domestically, Lohum is seeking to position itself as a supplier at a crucial chokepoint in battery manufacturing.

Verma emphasized that the Zimbabwe processing step was “critical” to Lohum’s business model, framing it as part of a long-term effort to build an alternative supply pathway for India that is less exposed to geopolitical and trade risks.

Why it matters

India’s EV rollout depends on secure access to lithium chemicals, and refining capacity is a major vulnerability given China’s dominance in processing. Lohum’s plan, if executed, could help Indian battery and EV makers source more materials locally and reduce supply-chain risk. The next key watch point will be whether the company can scale from an overseas mining start in Zimbabwe to sustained refining output of 30,000 tons a year in India.