Gadkari Opens India’s First Battery Swap Station for Trucks

Calling the initiative “historic”, Gadkari highlighted that India spends nearly Rs 25 trillion annually on fuel imports. “If we save this money by using alternative energy, it can be reinvested in India’s development and help us move faster towards becoming a developed nation,” he said.

According to an official release, the government is prioritising efforts to reduce India’s logistics costs, targeting a single-digit rate — below 9 per cent — by December 2026. Gadkari noted that achieving this goal will involve strengthening the national highway network and integrating multi-modal infrastructure across waterways, rail, and road transport systems.

Lower logistics costs, he said, will not only benefit industrialists and traders but also reduce transportation expenses for farmers, improving agricultural profitability.

Reaffirming Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of establishing India as a global green energy hub, Gadkari underscored the importance of agriculture-based energy production. He noted that the government has recently permitted ethanol production from maize, which has increased demand and driven prices up from Rs 12,000 to Rs 28,000 per tonne.

“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, the government’s goal is to make farmers not only providers of food but also producers of energy. The real strength of India’s economy lies in its villages and farmers — if they prosper, the entire nation will naturally become self-reliant,” Gadkari said.

He added that the government is actively promoting agri-based industries and biofuel sectors, with ongoing projects in ethanol, bio-CNG, bio-LNG, and green hydrogen. These initiatives aim to increase farmers’ incomes while addressing environmental challenges such as stubble burning through biofuel production from sugarcane, paddy straw, and other crop residues.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H. D. Kumaraswamy, who was also present at the event, said India is advancing rapidly towards its goal of becoming a developed nation by 2047. He highlighted the crucial role of heavy vehicles in freight transport and the potential of biofuel-powered alternatives to reduce logistics costs and curb pollution.

“The future lies in biofuels rather than diesel and petrol,” Kumaraswamy stated. He also noted that under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the government has launched the PM E-Drive (PM Electric Drive Revolution in Innovative Vehicle Enhancement) scheme to accelerate electric vehicle adoption across all categories, expand EV-charging infrastructure, and build a robust domestic EV manufacturing ecosystem in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat vision.