Bengaluru hosted a major milestone in India’s clean mobility journey on Tuesday as Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel Shri H.D. Kumaraswamy announced key approvals and policy initiatives aimed at strengthening the country’s EV charging ecosystem under the PM E-DRIVE Scheme.
In a significant boost for Karnataka, the Union Minister announced the approval of proposals for the installation of 1,243 EV chargers across the State with a financial outlay of ₹123.26 crore. The move further positions Karnataka among the leading States driving India’s transition towards electric mobility.
Addressing the Conference on Enabling Nationwide EV Charging Infrastructure under the PM E-DRIVE Scheme in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy noted that Bengaluru has emerged as one of India’s leading EV charging hubs and urged other States to actively participate in accelerating the nationwide shift towards clean mobility.
The Minister revealed that proposals worth ₹503.86 crore have so far been approved for the installation of 4,874 EV chargers across various States and Central Public Sector Enterprises (CPSEs). Approved proposals include major CPSEs such as HPCL, IOCL and BPCL, along with States including Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Kerala, Telangana, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Kumaraswamy said India is steadily progressing towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047 while remaining firmly committed to achieving Net Zero emissions by 2070. He observed that the Prime Minister’s emphasis on sustainability, innovation and scale has significantly transformed India’s approach towards mobility and energy.
Highlighting the importance of the automotive sector in India’s economic growth, the Minister said the industry contributes over 7% to the country’s GDP, accounts for nearly half of manufacturing GDP, and supports close to 30 million livelihoods, making it central to India’s clean mobility transition.
He also outlined several major initiatives launched by the Ministry of Heavy Industries to strengthen India’s position as a global hub for future mobility technologies. These include the ₹18,100 crore PLI ACC Scheme for battery cell manufacturing, the ₹25,938 crore PLI Auto Scheme promoting cleaner vehicles including EVs and hydrogen-powered vehicles, and the recently launched ₹7,280 crore REPM Scheme aimed at achieving self-reliance in rare earth magnet manufacturing.
Describing the PM E-DRIVE Scheme as a cornerstone of India’s EV transformation, Kumaraswamy said the ₹10,900 crore initiative is accelerating the adoption of electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers, buses and trucks, while simultaneously supporting the creation of a robust nationwide EV charging infrastructure. He added that ₹2,000 crore has been specifically earmarked for the deployment of EV public charging infrastructure across the country.
The Minister also acknowledged the contribution of Oil Marketing Companies including BPCL, IOCL and HPCL in scaling up charging infrastructure nationwide. Under the FAME-II scheme, OMCs have installed 8,932 EV chargers across the country with subsidy support of ₹873.5 crore from the Ministry of Heavy Industries. Of these, 721 chargers have been installed in Karnataka alone.
Kumaraswamy further appreciated the role played by charge point operators and industry players such as Tata Power, CHARGE ZONE and Mahindra & Mahindra in strengthening India’s EV ecosystem through innovation and execution capabilities.
Highlighting the Ministry’s next major initiative, the Union Minister said work is underway on the National Unified EV Charging App – Unified Bharat e-Charge (UBC). The platform aims to enable EV users to discover, access and pay across charging networks of multiple operators through a single trusted interface. Comparing its potential impact to UPI’s transformation of digital payments, he said the initiative would significantly strengthen India’s EV charging ecosystem.
Kumaraswamy added that the Ministry of Heavy Industries, in coordination with the Ministry of Power, State Governments and industry stakeholders, is working to ensure grid readiness, standardisation and digital integration to support the rapid growth of electric mobility in the country.
Outlining the future roadmap, the Minister said India’s EV charging infrastructure strategy would be guided by three key principles – accessibility, affordability and reliability – to ensure charging facilities are available, affordable and dependable across both urban and rural India.
Calling the transition a defining moment for India’s future, Kumaraswamy said the EV movement is not merely about infrastructure creation, but also about reducing dependence on fossil fuels, strengthening energy security and building a sustainable future for generations to come.
“Together, we are not merely installing charging stations, we are powering the future of India,” the Minister said, adding that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, India is prepared to lead the global clean mobility transformation from the front.
