India will be Number One manufacturing hub in the world: Nitin Gadkari

The Union Minister for Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari while formally inaugurating the 16th edition of the Auto Expo 2023 said that India will be the number one manufacturing destination for automobiles in the world. The government's mission for clean energy will enable India to turn a net exporter in green hydrogen.

“I am very happy to see how the Indian auto industry is evolving and the EV industry taking concrete steps towards alternate fuel, clean energy and innovation will have us exporting green hydrogen in the near future,” he said.

Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey who was present for the inauguration said that the country will soon also emerge as an export hub for cells as the PLI in cell manufacturing had a target of 50 GW and has been given a 30Gw extension. “With many private players coming into play, we are seeing close to 150GW hours of cell manufacturing to start in the country on the basis of which we can also turn into a net exporter in battery packs as well as cells,” he said.

Pandey also said that the Automotive Research Association of India has developed fast chargers which he informed will be made available for Pan India government initiatives where fast chargers are to be procured.

Gadkari who also advocated for starting business class luxury buses on key inter-city routes to wean away consumers from taking the air route also unveiled British car manufacturer, MG Motor India MG Euniq 7, a new energy vehicle (NEV) with its third-generation hydrogen fuel cell technology.

Speaking at the inauguration he also highlighted the government's Rs 19,744 crore incentive plan to promote the manufacturing of green hydrogen which is expected to attract Rs 8 lakh crore of investment in the green hydrogen chain.

India aims to produce five million tonnes of green hydrogen per annum, the current cost of green hydrogen which is in the range of Rs 300 per kg can be “halved with some of the latest research which is being done by the Center,” Gadkari said.

On the country's ethanol strategy, he said that he will be meeting the Petroleum Minister in 15 days to make a policy for setting up ethanol pumps in the country.

Gadkari further said the challenges of the high rate of accidents in the country were worrying him while the ambitious goals to connect cities and set up electrified highways was his pet project.

The MoRTH minister also pointed out that auto companies stand to gain with a 33 percent reduction in raw material costs with the new scrappage policy which will result in a 24 percent increase in sales.

He further said that he is working with the finance ministry to offer sops to consumers who scrap their vehicles and buy new ones after showing the scrappage certificates. “Semiconductors and metals from scrapped vehicles can be reused in auto components and it is going to reduce the cost of final products,” Gadkari emphasised.