NITI Aayog has reaffirmed its support for a broader mix of clean fuel technologies in India’s journey toward net-zero emissions by 2070, including biofuels, hybrids, and hydrogen-powered vehicles. This comes despite pressure from major automakers such as Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, and JSW MG Motor to classify only electric vehicles as zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs).
In its February 2026 transport report, NITI Aayog included ethanol-based flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs), compressed biogas (CBG) vehicles, hybrids, battery electric vehicles (BEVs), and hydrogen-powered vehicles under the ZEV category. The agency recommended a phased transition, starting with reducing diesel usage, moving toward cleaner options such as CNG and hybrids, and eventually adopting all ZEV technologies including biofuel-based and hydrogen-powered vehicles.
The decision has been welcomed by the Indian Federation of Green Energy (IFGE), which praised the think tank for adopting a balanced, lifecycle-based approach to emissions and resisting pressure to limit ZEVs solely to EVs. IFGE noted that this strategy would support practical policymaking while accelerating India’s shift toward clean mobility.
This move signals that India’s long-term climate strategy will rely on a technology-neutral approach, integrating biofuels alongside electric mobility to meet net-zero targets.
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