Olectra MD Challenges Indian Bus Industry to Assert Global Leadership

Mahesh Babu, Managing Director of Olectra Greentech, has issued a sharp call to action for India’s bus manufacturing sector, urging it to embrace its status as the world’s second-largest market by leading the global transition to electric mobility.

Speaking at the Busworld India conclave 2026 in Delhi, Babu pointed out a historical disconnect between India’s market volume and its technological influence. "We are the number two bus manufacturing market in the world," Babu stated. "If you are number two, are we behaving like a number two industry? When I entered the bus industry four years back, we were not behaving like number two in the world".

While acknowledging the successes of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model in scaling the sector, Babu’s  stressed that the industry is well-poised for its next evolution, provided it recognizes its purpose: to drive the electric revolution from the front rather than merely following global trends.

Babu emphasized that the industry must stop waiting for external forces to dictate change and instead pioneer the technology transition itself. This shift, he argued, is now underpinned by hard economics rather than just environmental sentiment. "If you look at economics, the total cost of ownership is lower than the diesel buses today," Babu explained. "Why would the industry not... behave like a second largest bus market in the world?"

Central to this leadership is a move toward solving complex ecosystem challenges, such as financing and charging infrastructure, while focusing on the end customer. Babu highlighted the need for rapid innovation, citing the emergence of "flash charging" capabilities in neighbouring countries which can refuel a vehicle in as little as eight minutes, as the type of breakthrough necessary to keep Indian standards aligned with global progress.