Kumaraswamy asks auto industry to put money into EV tech, batteries and hydrogen

Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has urged the country's automobile industry to invest in electric vehicle technologies, battery manufacturing and hydrogen, ET Auto reported on Friday.

The pitch puts the minister's weight behind a push that has so far leaned heavily on government incentives. Kumaraswamy's message to manufacturers was direct: put capital into the next generation of vehicle technology.

He named three areas, EVs, batteries and hydrogen. The first two are already crowded. Battery cell manufacturing is the piece of the EV chain India still imports most of, and several companies have announced gigafactory plans in recent years. Hydrogen is earlier stage, with pilot projects in buses and industrial use but little commercial scale.

Why the minister is making this ask now

India's EV market is growing, but mostly on two and three wheels. Passenger car electrification has been slower, and the industry has repeatedly asked for a stable policy roadmap before committing large sums. Kumaraswamy's remarks land in that gap between government ambition and industry caution.

The minister did not announce new incentives or a fresh scheme in the report. His appeal was to private investment, not public spending.

That distinction matters. Battery and hydrogen plants need long payback periods, and manufacturers weigh them against cheaper imports, mainly from China. A ministerial nudge alone won't change those economics. What it can do is signal that the government wants domestic capacity built.

The industry's side

Automakers have been expanding EV line-ups and localising components, though at different speeds. Some have tied their plans to charging infrastructure and battery costs. Others are watching how the goods and services tax treatment of hybrids and EVs settles.

Hydrogen has drawn interest from a handful of large groups, including in commercial vehicles and refining. Most of those remain at the demonstration stage.

Kumaraswamy's call adds to a string of similar signals from the Centre, which has backed electric mobility through schemes such as FAME and production-linked incentives for advanced chemistry cells. The question manufacturers keep asking is whether the demand will arrive fast enough to justify the factories.

The minister's remarks were reported by ET Auto on October 30, 2026.