UK Awards Rs380 Mn To Tata's Agratas For Somerset Gigafactory

14 Apr 2026 CW Team

Agratas is developing what is expected to be Britain’s largest electric vehicle battery plant with an anticipated capacity of about 40 GWh and the site is intended to supply Jaguar Land Rover and potentially other carmakers. The APC said the plant will enhance the local supply chain and could support thousands of jobs in the region. The grant to Agratas was proposed last year by the Department for Business and Trade and has been channelled through collaboration and investment programmes.

The APC, which works with government and industry to support investment in zero emission vehicle and battery manufacturing, said remaining awards from the Rs470 mn package were allocated to winners across major research and development and investment initiatives. Ministers framed the funding as creating conditions for increased investment, economic growth, and employment across the country. Officials added that the Somerset project aligns with industrial strategy objectives to secure domestic capability in a sector seen as strategic for the automotive industry. The project continues to move through planning and development stages with further details on timelines and partners expected.

Company and government representatives provided the announcement to outline the strategic rationale and next steps for the site, including supply arrangements and potential expansions. The APC noted that the investment is intended to make the United Kingdom more competitive in a future market for zero emission vehicles. Stakeholders will monitor progress as construction and commissioning milestones are set.

The UK government has awarded Rs380 mn in funding to Agratas Energy Storage Solutions Private Limited (Agratas), the battery arm of the Tata Group, to support a planned electric vehicle battery gigafactory in Somerset. The Advanced Propulsion Centre (APC) said the grant forms part of a broader Rs470 mn government package intended to bolster domestic manufacture of batteries and strengthen supply chains for zero emission transport. The funding allocation was announced as part of efforts to accelerate the transition to zero emission vehicles and attract industrial investment. Agratas is developing what is expected to be Britain’s largest electric vehicle battery plant with an anticipated capacity of about 40 GWh and the site is intended to supply Jaguar Land Rover and potentially other carmakers. The APC said the plant will enhance the local supply chain and could support thousands of jobs in the region. The grant to Agratas was proposed last year by the Department for Business and Trade and has been channelled through collaboration and investment programmes. The APC, which works with government and industry to support investment in zero emission vehicle and battery manufacturing, said remaining awards from the Rs470 mn package were allocated to winners across major research and development and investment initiatives. Ministers framed the funding as creating conditions for increased investment, economic growth, and employment across the country. Officials added that the Somerset project aligns with industrial strategy objectives to secure domestic capability in a sector seen as strategic for the automotive industry. The project continues to move through planning and development stages with further details on timelines and partners expected. Company and government representatives provided the announcement to outline the strategic rationale and next steps for the site, including supply arrangements and potential expansions. The APC noted that the investment is intended to make the United Kingdom more competitive in a future market for zero emission vehicles. Stakeholders will monitor progress as construction and commissioning milestones are set.

Technology

12 Jun 2026

LTTS Partners with Databricks to Advance Industrial AI

L&T Technology Services (LTTS) has entered a strategic partnership with Databricks to co-develop Industrial AI solutions for asset-intensive industries, including energy, petrochemicals, and manufacturing. The collaboration leverages LTTS’ engineering expertise across 600+ major plants with Databricks’ AI and analytics platform to convert operational data into actionable Engineering Intelligence.The partnership will deliver solutions spanning Predictive Asset Reliability, Energy & Emissions Optimisation, Overall Equipment Effectiveness, Production and Quality Intelligence, and Sust..

Infrastructure Urban

12 Jun 2026

Opptra Partners with Unicommerce to Scale AI-Driven E-Commerce

Opptra, the AI-native e-commerce distributor founded by Flipkart co-founder Binny Bansal, has partnered with Unicommerce to enhance operations across India, the GCC, and Southeast Asia. The collaboration integrates Opptra’s brand expansion expertise with Unicommerce’s AI-led Uniware platform, enabling centralised management of orders, inventory, and fulfilment across warehouses, stores, and sales channels.Opptra retains full commercial ownership of online brand operations, from marketplace strategy and pricing to fulfilment and customer service. Leveraging Unicommerce’s 350+ integrations..

Real Estate

12 Jun 2026

AHS Properties Acquires Shangri-La Hotel for AED 1.1 Billion

AHS Properties has acquired the Shangri-La Hotel on Sheikh Zayed Road for AED 1.1 billion from Mismak Asset Management, marking one of the largest single-asset real estate deals in recent history. The 43-floor, 200-metre tower, completed in 2003, was among the first five-star hotels on the corridor.This acquisition complements AHS Tower and AHS City, forming a vertical corridor strategy that represents a substantial portion of the developer’s AED 50 billion year-end 2026 pipeline. Founder and CEO Abbas Sajwani described the purchase as a long-term investment in structurally constrained asset..