Speaking at the ICEMA event, Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari made it clear that the answer lies in alternative fuels. “CNG, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, LNG, electric — these are all part of our roadmap,” he said, laying out a vision where India’s highways and construction sites are powered not by diesel, but by a diversified, sustainable energy mix.

For Gadkari, the shift is not only about environmental responsibility. It is about reducing logistics costs, cutting oil imports, empowering farmers, and positioning India as a global leader in green mobility. “Our target is to bring logistics cost into single digits — 9 percent,” he told the audience. “This is essential for making India a global manufacturing hub.”

Cutting India’s costly logistics
“According to IIT Kanpur and IIT Chennai, our logistics cost is 16 percent,” Gadkari told the gathering. “China’s is 8 percent. In European countries it is around 12 percent, and in the U.S. it is just 6 percent.”

The gap is not just statistical; it is strategic. A high logistics bill makes every Indian product less competitive. Whether it’s steel, cement, machinery, or textiles, moving goods in India is almost twice as expensive as in China.

“Our target is to bring logistics cost into single digits — 9 percent,” Gadkari declared to applause. “This is essential for making India a global manufacturing hub.”

Hydrogen on the highways
For Gadkari, the road to efficiency runs through new fuels. Among them, hydrogen excites him most.

“We have launched trucks with hydrogen fuel-cell engines,” he revealed, pointing to pilot projects with Tata Motors, Volvo, Ashok Leyland, and Reliance. “We are creating hydrogen fuelling stations and corridors. Hydrogen is the fuel of the future, and we are moving towards it.”

The vision is bold. If scaled, hydrogen could decarbonise long-haul trucking and heavy construction equipment — sectors that are otherwise hard to electrify. “Hydrogen is the future filler,” Gadkari said simply, making it clear that India will not wait for the West to lead.

Ethanol: Powering engines
But Gadkari is equally passionate about ethanol. “CNG, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, LNG, electric — these are all part of our roadmap,” he said.

His advocacy of ethanol is rooted not just in fuel economics but also in rural empowerment. India’s sugarcane and grain surpluses can be harnessed to produce large volumes of ethanol. “Ethanol is not just about reducing imports; it means giving our farmers a new market,” Gadkari stressed.

Flex-fuel engines, capable of running on blends of petrol and ethanol, are already being encouraged. Several automakers are developing such models for India under his ministry’s push.

Reinventing construction machinery
A striking part of Gadkari’s ICEMA address was his challenge to the construction equipment industry, which consumes massive amounts of diesel. “Today, in construction equipment and agriculture machinery, we must move away from diesel,” he urged. “We will support this by offering 0 percent interest loans for companies adopting alternative fuel or biofuel equipment.”

He cited examples of CNG-powered machines and even hydrogen-based equipment being tested. “If we can build the world’s first CNG construction machine, why not hydrogen?” he asked, throwing down the gauntlet to manufacturers.

Electrifying the future
While hydrogen and ethanol dominated his speech, Gadkari did not neglect electric mobility. He highlighted the rapid fall in battery costs and stressed the need for India to lead in next-generation chemistries.

“Research is moving towards sodium-ion batteries,” he said, noting that reliance on imported lithium would not be sustainable. “We must indigenise our technologies — semiconductors, batteries, engines. Otherwise, we will remain dependent.”

This aligns with the government’s PLI scheme, which Gadkari endorsed as a tool to spur domestic manufacturing of electric and alternative-fuel components.

Raising the bar on quality and safety
For Gadkari, fuels are only part of the story. Equally critical is quality and safety.

“There can be no compromise — whether it is in machine quality, road quality, or environmental standards,” he said firmly. He pointed to how global markets demand star ratings and certifications for vehicles, insisting that Indian products must meet the same benchmarks.

On road safety, his voice grew more urgent. “Accidents are my biggest concern,” he admitted. “We must enforce electronic braking systems, improve vehicle ratings, and educate the public. Human behavior and education are as important as engineering.”

He even suggested that road safety education be integrated into school curricula, so that awareness begins early. “We must change the culture of how Indians see road safety,” he said.

Gadkari is known for pushing industry hard, and this occasion was no different. While acknowledging past achievements, he challenged manufacturers to innovate faster.

“India’s first CNG construction machine was launched here,” he reminded the audience. “Now I want to see India’s first hydrogen construction equipment as well.”

He insisted that industry not simply follow global trends but aim to set them. “Be pioneers, not followers,” he urged. “We have the talent and the technology. We must take leadership.”

A dual vision
What makes Gadkari’s advocacy of alternative fuels distinctive is that it marries environmental sustainability with rural development. By scaling ethanol and biofuels, India can empower its farmers while reducing its oil import bill. By adopting hydrogen and electric technologies, it can cut pollution and strengthen industrial competitiveness.

“This is not just about fuel,” he said. “It is about the future of India’s economy, our villages, and our environment.”

Nitin Gadkari’s ICEMA address was more than a technical roadmap. It was a visionary call to action, framed in plain, powerful language. He connected the dots between high logistics costs, fuel dependency, climate change, and road safety — and offered alternative fuels as a unifying solution.

“Hydrogen, ethanol, biofuels, electricity — this is the future,” he told industry leaders. “If we move fast, India can be a global leader in green mobility.”

The challenge he laid out was clear. The question now is whether industry, policymakers, and researchers will rise to match his ambition. Because if they do, India will not only build the world’s largest highways — it will build them green, safe, and globally competitive.

BLURBS:
1. “CNG, ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, LNG, electric — these are all part of our roadmap.”
2. “We are creating hydrogen fuelling stations and corridors. Hydrogen is the fuel of the future, and we are moving towards it.”