Why does China dominate battery manufacturing? Can India build a globally competitive battery industry? What separates successful gigafactories from expensive failures?

In this episode, Srinivas Popuri speaks with Vijayanand Samudrala, President of New Energy at Amara Raja.

With more than three decades of experience, Vijayanand shares lessons on battery manufacturing, industrial strategy, technology innovation, supply chains, startup execution, AI, leadership and the future of the global battery industry.

The conversation covers China's rise, India's opportunities, gigafactory execution, battery startups, manufacturing excellence, supply chains and what it really takes to build a competitive battery ecosystem.

Perfect for professionals working in batteries, EVs, energy storage, manufacturing, policy and investment.

Why do so many battery gigafactory projects struggle, despite raising billions of dollars and using world-class technology?

In this episode of The SP Show, I sit down with Dr Will Jones from Beck & Pollitzer, a company that has helped deliver process equipment installations across 13 battery gigafactories, working with 11 manufacturers in 8 countries.

Rather than discussing battery chemistry, this conversation focuses on the often-overlooked reality of building large-scale battery manufacturing plants.

We explore why many projects look perfect on paper but run into problems during execution, why process equipment receives far less attention than it deserves, and why experience remains one of the biggest competitive advantages in battery manufacturing.

We discuss:
▶ Why many battery gigafactories run into trouble before production even begins
▶ The biggest myth about building a gigafactory
▶ Why projects that look perfect in PowerPoint quietly start falling behind
▶ The hidden bottlenecks that can delay projects by months, sometimes years
▶ Why process equipment is "the machines that make the money"
▶ The procurement and coordination mistakes that cost millions
▶ Why experience remains the industry's biggest competitive advantage

Whether you're involved in batteries, manufacturing, industrial projects, engineering, investing or simply interested in how gigafactories are built, this episode offers practical insights rarely discussed in public.

If you enjoy the conversation, please follow The SP Show on Spotify and share the episode with others interested in the future of battery manufacturing.

Can India build a globally competitive battery industry, or has China already won the race?

In this episode of The SP Show, Vikram Handa, Founder & MD of Epsilon Advanced Materials and Managing Director of Epsilon Carbon, shares an insider's perspective on battery materials, supply chains, manufacturing, and industrial strategy.

We discuss China's dominance, India's battery ambitions, the challenges of scaling outside China, risk capital, R&D, LFP, silicon anodes, sodium-ion batteries, recycling, and what it really takes to build a world-class battery materials company.

A candid conversation about execution, competitiveness, and the future of the battery industry.