New Delhi:
Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari has once again shifted gears—and this time, the target isn’t a highway flyover or a landfill mountain, but the entire global automobile leaderboard. Speaking at the International Value Summit 2025, Gadkari declared India’s ambition to grab the No. 1 spot in global automobile manufacturing within the next five years. In short: from jugaad to Jaguar, India wants it all.
From Assembly Lines to Export Engines
Having already overtaken Japan to become the world’s third-largest auto market, India’s rev counter is firmly in the red. “All major global brands are here—not just to sell but to export cars made in India,” Gadkari said, pointing out that India’s two-wheeler sector is already popping wheelies in 100 countries.
Clean, Green, and Hydrogen-Powered Machines
But the Minister wasn’t just flexing sales figures. He revved up the conversation on clean mobility—hydrogen trucks, electric cars, isobutanol fuels, and even bio-bitumen (read: roads literally built on rice straw). “We’ve given ₹600 crore to fast-track hydrogen infra. Our aim? Not to follow but to lead,” Gadkari said, with Tata, Ashok Leyland, and Reliance already in the pit crew.
India’s Road Network: From Chaos to Autobahn
On infrastructure, Gadkari cheekily noted that road travel is no longer a test of patience. “Panipat to Delhi Airport now in 35 minutes instead of three hours,” he smiled, possibly triggering nostalgic trauma in anyone who’s ever taken NH-44 during monsoon. Projects like the Chennai-Bengaluru expressway and Bengaluru’s ₹23,000 crore ring road promise to turn India’s road network into something rivaling Germany’s Autobahn—minus the bratwurst.
Waste Not, Want Not
In true “Swachh Bharat meets Speed Bharat” style, the Minister also flaunted his waste-to-wealth projects. Ghazipur landfill has already been mined for 80 lakh tonnes of garbage to build roads—shrinking the infamous trash mountain by seven metres. “At this rate, we’ll soon have selfies at the Ghazipur Expressway instead of landfill,” he quipped.
The Global Overture
Ending his address with an open throttle to the world, Gadkari said: “We don’t lack money; our roads pay for themselves. What we need is your innovation, your technology, and your cooperation.” Translation: Dear Tesla, BYD, and Porsche—bring your toys, India has the playground.
