THE LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR, DELHI

• Director, CPRG, Dr. Ramanand Ji,

• Director, IHC, Prof. K.G. Suresh Ji,

• Distinguished panelists, and delegates,

   

The transition, towards electric mobility, is often discussed, as a shift, from one type of vehicle to another. In reality, it is a much broader transformation. 

It concerns, how we produce and consume, energy, how our cities, are planned, the technologies, we develop, the industries, we build and, ultimately, the quality of life, we provide to, our citizens.

India’s mobility requirements, are expanding rapidly. At the same time, we have to address, energy security, air quality, urban congestion, and climate change. This makes the transition, towards cleaner mobility, both an environmental necessity, and an economic opportunity.

Our Honourable Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi ji, has observed that, “Clean Mobility, powered by Clean Energy, is our most powerful weapon, in our fight against, Climate Change.”

Electric mobility, therefore, cannot be considered, in isolation. An electric vehicle, is part of a larger ecosystem, involving batteries, charging infrastructure, electricity generation, storage, manufacturing, recycling, and digital systems. 

For India, the objective must be, to develop this ecosystem, in a manner, that is economically viable, technology capable, and accessible to citizens.

There has already been, significant progress. Government initiatives, such as the FAME programme, and the PM E-DRIVE scheme, have supported the expansion of electric mobility. PM E-DRIVE, with an outlay of ₹10,900 crore, supports electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, and related testing infrastructure.

But policy support, is only one part, of the transition. We must, also develop the capabilities, required to sustain, electric mobility at scale. Battery technology, alternative materials, energy storage, and recycling, will be particularly important. 

A strong domestic EV ecosystem, can create opportunities, across engineering, electronics, software, battery manufacturing, component production, logistics, and specialised services.

There is also a clear connection, between electric mobility, and India’s broader industrial ambitions. The automobile sector, can be an important platform, for investment, technology partnerships, and participation, in global value chains. 

India has already begun, moving in this direction, with Made-in-India electric vehicles, entering international markets.

For Delhi, the transition has an even more immediate, significance. As one of the world’s, major metropolitan regions, Delhi faces, the interconnected challenges, of mobility, air quality, congestion, and urban expansion. Cleaner public transport, can therefore, contribute not only, to reducing emissions, but also to improving, the everyday experience of citizens.

Delhi has already seen, growing adoption of electric buses, and other forms, of cleaner mobility. The next step is, to build an integrated system, in which public transport, last-mile connectivity, charging infrastructure, and intelligent traffic management, work together. This is particularly important, for a city, where millions of people depend, on public and shared transport, every day.

The transition, also presents an opportunity, to strengthen Delhi’s position, as a centre for innovation, and sustainable urban solutions. 

Our universities, research institutions, entrepreneurs, and technology companies, can contribute, to developing solutions, suited to the specific needs, of Indian cities. 

At the same time, electric mobility, must remain accessible. The success of the transition, cannot be measured, only, by the number of electric vehicles, on our roads. It must also be measured, by whether citizens have, reliable public transport, convenient charging facilities, and cleaner and more efficient ways, of moving, around the city.

The EVolve Conclave, provides an important platform, for bringing these perspectives together. The next stage of India’s electric mobility journey, will require collaboration, between government, industry, academia, and financial institutions. We need innovation, that can be deployed, at scale, investment, that builds long-term capabilities, and infrastructure integrated, with wider urban, and energy systems.

Above all, we need a mobility transition, centred on the citizen.

Electric mobility, is ultimately, not only, about the vehicle. It is about cleaner air, efficient movement,

 technological capability, economic opportunity, and a more sustainable urban future.

I hope the deliberations, at the EVolve Conclave, contribute to this, larger conversation, and, importantly, to practical solutions, that can move, from discussion to implementation.

Thank You.

Jai Hind.