Tata Motors, India’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturer and Castrol India Limited, a market leader in advanced automotive and industrial lubricant technology, have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly launch a pilot programme for used oil circularity ecosystem.
The collaboration aims to establish a structured model for the responsible collection, channelisation and recycling of used engine oil, supporting India’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework and advancing circular economy goals across the automotive lubricant value chain.
Under this MoU, the two companies will build a traceable system for collecting, storing and channelising used engine oil from Tata Motors’ authorised service network in Karnataka. The pilot addresses a long-standing gap in the responsible management of used oil, a material classified as hazardous waste.
Speaking on this development, Mr. Vikram Agrawal, Head–Spares and Non-Vehicle Business, Tata Motors Commercial Vehicles, said, “Responsible used-oil management is central to building a truly circular automotive ecosystem in India. The volume of used engine oil generated across India’s roads each year makes responsible collection and recycling a matter of significant environmental consequence. By partnering with Castrol India, we are creating a credible, scalable model that links responsible collection at our service touchpoints to high-quality re-refined output. This is a meaningful step in Tata Motors’ broader sustainability journey.”
Mr. Anoop Jindal, Vice President–B2B (OEM) Sales, Castrol India Limited, said, “Creating a circular economy for lubricants requires collaboration across the entire value chain. This association with Tata Motors marks our first OEM collaboration focused on building a structured ecosystem for responsible used-oil management in India. We are working to strengthen every link in the circularity chain, from collection and channelisation to recycling and reuse. Insights from our used-oil collection pilots in southern India have deepened our understanding of both the opportunities and challenges involved in scaling circularity. Together with Tata Motors’ extensive service network, this initiative can help create a more organised, traceable and scalable model for used-oil circularity in India.”
For the pilot programme, Tata Motors’ authorised sales and service touchpoints in Karnataka will act as structured collection points for used engine oil. Castrol India will anchor the channelisation of collected oil to registered recyclers, drawing on its lubricant expertise and existing pilot learnings to ensure quality and traceability through the recycling process. The MoU builds on the long-standing relationship between Tata Motors and Castrol India and reflects the shared commitment to advancing sustainability through innovation and collaboration. This initiative complements Tata Motors’ broader sustainability agenda encompassing electric vehicles, CNG platforms and energy-efficient mobility solutions and aligns with Castrol India’s strategy to embed recycled materials in high-performance lubricant products.
