Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has said petrol and diesel vehicles have no long-term future, urging manufacturers to accelerate the shift toward cleaner transport technologies. Speaking at the Busworld India Conclave 2026, Gadkari said the transition away from fossil-fuel-powered mobility is now inevitable due to rising import dependence and worsening pollution concerns.

The minister stated that conventional internal combustion engine vehicles are becoming increasingly unsustainable from both economic and environmental perspectives. India imports a large share of its crude oil requirements, making fuel costs vulnerable to global price shocks and geopolitical tensions. Gadkari said reducing this dependence must be a national priority alongside improving urban air quality.

He outlined a roadmap built around electric mobility, ethanol-blended fuels, CNG, LNG and green hydrogen. According to Gadkari, these technologies should form the backbone of India’s next-generation transport system. He added that policy support and industry participation are already helping create alternatives capable of replacing traditional petrol and diesel engines over time.

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Highlighting hydrogen’s role, Gadkari said trucks and buses powered by hydrogen are already being operated on 10 routes. He described hydrogen as a fuel of the future and noted that major automotive manufacturers such as Tata Motors, Volvo, Ashok Leyland and Mahindra & Mahindra are participating in pilot projects involving hydrogen commercial vehicles.

The minister also drew attention to India’s public transport gap, saying the country currently has only around two buses per 1,000 people compared with a global benchmark of eight. He indicated that demand for electric buses alone could reach 1.5 lakh units over the next three years, creating a major opportunity for domestic manufacturing and clean mobility expansion.

In addition, Gadkari announced tighter compliance measures for bus manufacturers, including mandatory uploading of registration details, inspection records and video proof on the VAHAN portal. The move replaces the earlier self-certification model and aims to improve transparency and accountability. His remarks signal the government’s continued push to reshape India’s transport sector around cleaner fuels and advanced mobility systems.

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