Context paper titled “Accelerating India’s Transition to an Automotive Circular Economy” released during the week

India’s transport decarbonisation strategy will not hinge on a single technology but will instead embrace a multi-fuel pathway spanning biofuels, electrification, gas, and hydrogen. At the International Symposium for Thriving Eco-Energy in Mobility (ISTEM), organised by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) during Sustainable Mobility Week, government officials and industry experts convened to deliberate on key sustainability priorities, including decarbonisation, road safety, circularity, and material compliance.

Ethanol momentum and policy signalling

Government officials reinforced the policy thrust behind cleaner fuels, positioning ethanol as both an environmental and economic lever.

Ashwini Srivastava, Joint Secretary (Sugar) at the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution, highlighted the co-benefits of the ethanol programme.

“Sustainable mobility requires a strong push towards cleaner automotive fuels, and India’s ethanol blending programme has made significant progress. Our focus is on reducing emissions, improving air quality, lowering import dependence, and creating economic value within the country. Ethanol blending has reduced crude oil imports, cut emissions, and created a reliable market for agricultural produce while making the sugar sector more self-sufficient. Fuel diversification remains essential to sustain the biofuel ecosystem, and we are moving towards 2G ethanol production with financing as a key enabler for expansion.”

The emphasis on second-generation ethanol signals the government’s intent to move beyond first-generation feedstock constraints toward more scalable, waste-based production pathways — a shift that could materially reshape the biofuel supply curve.

Hydrogen and infrastructure: The next frontier

While biofuels are delivering near-term gains, hydrogen continues to occupy the long-term strategic horizon.

Abhay Bakre, Mission Director at the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, pointed towards steady progress but acknowledged structural hurdles.

“Cost, technology readiness, and infrastructure remain central to the clean mobility transition. From low EV penetration and limited charging networks in 2017–18, adoption has steadily improved. We are advancing methanol engines and green energy corridors while hydrogen pilots expand across vehicles and refuelling systems. As costs decline and deployment quality improves, hydrogen will play an increasingly important role in the mobility ecosystem.”

Brazil–India alignment on biofuels

Adding a global perspective, Kenneth Félix Haczynski da Nóbrega drew parallels between India’s and Brazil’s biofuel journeys.

“The energy transition must be ambitious yet pragmatic, advancing biofuels, electrification, and green hydrogen together. Brazil’s experience, from record ethanol output and diversified feedstocks to higher blending targets, shows the strengthening of supply resilience when multiple pathways are pursued. With the right financing, incentives, and global commitments, including COP30 Belém, we can scale clean fuels worldwide. India’s achievement of 20 per cent ethanol blending and our growing collaboration on standards, sustainable fuels, and multi-fuel mobility can help shape the future of sustainable mobility globally.”

The remarks reinforce the strengthening India–Brazil cooperation narrative in flexible-fuel ecosystems and Global South energy diplomacy.

Industry voices: From bio-CNG to EV corridors

Industry leaders used the forum to spotlight transitions already underway across the mobility value chain.

Dr. Vibha Dhawan, Director General of The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), noted the rapid evolution in vehicle efficiency and the rising role of renewables.

“Times have changed, and sustainability challenges are far more visible today. We have learned from Brazil’s use of biofuels and must rethink what and how we produce. The entire automobile industry deserves appreciation. While vehicles earlier offered comparatively modest mileage, the adoption of alternative fuels and continued technological advancements has led to significant improvements in fuel efficiency. Renewable energy will play a crucial role in multi-fuel mobility, with equal importance to shipping and freight, as we move towards E30 and E40 and strengthen highway infrastructure.”

Meanwhile, Kamal Kishore Chatiwal, Managing Director of Indraprastha Gas Limited, pointed to waste-to-fuel opportunities.

“We have personally witnessed the shift from CNG-run DTC buses to EVs, showing how mobility continues to evolve in India. Agricultural waste is available in large quantities but has largely remained unused, despite its potential to release methane. Through innovation, it can be converted into Bio-CNG, helping manage waste and emissions. With the rapid rise of two-wheelers, we must widen practical fuel options. We have already started one LNG station and will commission three more in the coming months, and LNG provides the range of three CNG fills in a single fill.”

From the commercial vehicle segment, R. S. Sachdeva of VE Commercial Vehicles stressed the need for coordinated policy support.

“India’s multi-fuel mobility approach is advancing steadily with 26,000 EV charging stations and penetration expected to cross 10 percent in five years. The industry seeks deeper collaboration with the government on green hydrogen, alongside progress in storage, supply, and battery management systems. Four focus areas remain critical minerals, scaling hydrogen for mobility, accelerating advanced biofuels, and building EV corridors, requiring policy support and collaboration across industries.”

Echoing the broader sentiment, Ashish Chutani of Maruti Suzuki India said, “India’s green mobility transition is defining how change should be implemented, and the world is looking forward to India’s multi-pathway approach as a model.”