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Reliance Industries has halted its lithium-ion battery cell manufacturing plans following the withdrawal of its Chinese partner, Xiamen Hithium Energy Storage Technology Co., from technology licensing discussions. The suspension comes amid China's restrictions on rare earth exports, prompting Reliance to pivot towards assembling battery energy storage systems while still aiming for a battery ecosystem. Despite these challenges, the company’s battery gigafactory is set to begin operations in 2026, aligning with India's projected energy storage market growth.