India's EV success hinges on design, local value addition: Kumaraswamy

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H D Kumaraswamy on Wednesday outlined a strategic vision for India's electric mobility sector, urging the automotive industry to shift focus from volume-driven metrics to quality and innovation benchmarks.

Addressing industry stakeholders, Kumaraswamy emphasized that the success of India's EV transition cannot be gauged solely by the number of electric vehicles sold domestically. Instead, he called for bolder investment in cleaner, more efficient, and emerging technologies that would enable Indian manufacturers to not only serve the domestic market but also establish themselves as global suppliers.

"The Ministry of Heavy Industries will continue to work closely with ACMA, SIAM, and industry stakeholders to improve scheme implementation, resolve operational issues, and create an enabling environment for investment and innovation," the minister said. He highlighted that government schemes are actively supporting investments in domestic value addition, advanced technology adoption, manufacturing capability development, and the broader transition to cleaner mobility solutions.

Kumaraswamy's remarks underscore New Delhi's strategy to position India as a competitive player in the global EV supply chain through localized production of high-value components and design expertise, rather than becoming merely an assembly hub for imported technologies.