Nagaland Near Bottom of India Electric Mobility Index

Nagaland has finished near the bottom of the India Electric Mobility Index, according to a report by MorungExpress. The state ranks among the lowest scorers in the country on the measure, which tracks how prepared states are for a shift to electric vehicles.

The index looks at charging infrastructure, EV registrations, policy support and the overall readiness of a state's transport system. Nagaland's scores were weak across those heads.

What the ranking reflects

States at the top of such indices usually have three things going for them: public charging points along highways, a steady flow of electric two- and three-wheelers, and a state EV policy with clear targets. Nagaland has struggled on all three fronts.

The state's terrain doesn't help. Hilly roads, long distances between towns and a thin grid in rural pockets make charging infrastructure costlier to build than in the plains. Most of Nagaland's vehicle fleet still runs on petrol and diesel.

Charging points are concentrated in and around Kohima and Dimapur. Outside those two cities, a driver looking for a plug has few options. That alone keeps many buyers away from electric vehicles.

Where the gaps are

• Public charging stations: sparse, mostly in the two main urban centres
• EV registrations: a small share of total vehicle sales
• State policy: limited incentives for buyers and manufacturers
• Grid readiness: patchy in rural and remote districts

The index does not single out Nagaland alone. Several northeastern states sit in the same band, which points to a regional pattern rather than a one-off slip.

Neighbouring states face similar problems. Sparse populations, tough terrain and small local markets make it hard to draw private charging operators, who need steady traffic to recover their investment.

What's being done

India's central schemes offer subsidies for electric two- and three-wheelers and support for charging infrastructure. States that have moved fast on their own EV policies have pulled ahead in the rankings.

Nagaland has yet to roll out a full-fledged EV policy of the kind seen in states like Delhi, Maharashtra or Tamil Nadu. Without one, buyers get little beyond central incentives, and charging companies have no state-level roadmap to plan around.

The state's power situation adds another layer. Reliable supply is a basic requirement for any charging network, and several rural pockets still report outages.

For now, the index places Nagaland in the bottom group. The gap with leading states is wide, and closing it will take money, policy and time.

The full India Electric Mobility Index report, as cited by MorungExpress, lists Nagaland among the lowest scorers in the country.