Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has issued a blunt warning to automakers at the Busworld India 2026 summit: petrol and diesel have no future in India’s public transport ecosystem, and companies that fail to adapt risk being left behind. Speaking directly to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Gadkari emphasized that India’s heavy dependence on crude‑oil imports and the environmental cost of fossil‑fuel vehicles make the transition to cleaner alternatives both an economic and ecological imperative.
What Gadkari told OEMs
Gadkari explicitly told bus and commercial‑vehicle manufacturers:
- “There is no future for diesel and petrol vehicles… If you (OEM) are not going to change, then be cautious. There is no good future for petrol and diesel.”
He urged them to accelerate the rollout of electric buses, CNG/LNG‑powered models, ethanol‑fueled options, and hydrogen‑based powertrains, positioning clean energy as the backbone of India’s next‑generation transport. The minister also highlighted that 10 pilot routes are already running hydrogen trucks and buses, calling hydrogen “the fuel for the future.”
Why this shift now
Gadkari linked the move to India’s energy‑security and geopolitical risk exposure. He noted that fluctuating global oil prices and supply disruptions—amplified by conflicts such as the Iran–US standoff and Strait of Hormuz closure—make reliance on imported crude economically unsustainable. At the same time, rising domestic ethanol‑blending targets (currently around 20% and moving toward flexible‑fuel engines) and expanding bio‑feedstock capacity are being pushed as a way to cut import dependence and support farmers.
Electric‑bus boom and safety push
In parallel with the fuel shift, Gadkari signalled a major expansion in the electric‑bus market: he estimated that demand for e‑buses could reach 1.5 lakh units over the next three years, while current manufacturing capacity is only about 70,000 buses per year. He urged bus makers to treble their capacity and focus on quality, safety, and passenger comfort rather than just low‑cost production.
The minister also announced stricter oversight on bus production: every new bus will now require physical and video‑format approvals uploaded on the Vahan portal, replacing the previous self‑certification system. This move is aimed at preventing corner‑cutting in body‑construction and safety features, reinforcing the idea that India’s transition to cleaner transport must be both green and safe.
