Saurabh Dalela, Director, ICAT, Highlights  Growing Significance of PM e-Drive Scheme

Manesar : The International Centre for Automotive Technology (ICAT), Manesar, organised an industry dialogue on the PM e-Drive Scheme on 25 September 2026 as part of its celebrations marking 20 years of service and excellence in the automotive technology sector.

The dialogue brought together senior government officials, representatives from financial institutions, leading automotive and electric vehicle manufacturers, testing agencies and other industry stakeholders. The session provided a platform for stakeholders to share their experiences, assess the implementation of the PM e-Drive Scheme, discuss its impact on electric mobility adoption and highlight emerging challenges and requirements of the industry.

The event was attended by Dr. Hanif Quraishi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, who was the Chief Guest. Shri Prem Chandra Maurya, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries; Shri Sunit Shukla, Chief Manager, IFCI; Dr. Reji Mathai, Director, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI); and senior representatives from the automotive and EV industry were also present.

ICAT Highlights the Importance of Continued Industry Engagement

Delivering the welcome address, Saurabh Dalela, Director, ICAT, highlighted the growing significance of the PM e-Drive Scheme and described it as an initiative that has evolved into a broader national movement supporting India’s transition towards electric mobility.

He said that the scheme has gained significant momentum and has assumed importance in the national interest. He noted that the purpose of the dialogue was to obtain feedback from industry stakeholders on the implementation of the scheme, understand how it has performed on the ground, identify challenges and assess the future requirements of the sector.

Shri Dalela emphasised the need for continued dialogue between the government and industry, involving all relevant stakeholders, to ensure that policies and programmes remain aligned with the rapidly changing requirements of the electric mobility ecosystem.

IFCI Outlines Progress and Future Expansion of PM e-Drive

Sunit Shukla, Chief Manager, IFCI, presented an overview of the PM e-Drive Scheme, covering its key components, targets and financial outlay. He discussed the progress achieved under the scheme and highlighted its support for various categories of electric vehicles, including electric two-wheelers, three-wheelers and electric trucks.

He also indicated that further provisions are expected to support electric buses and trucks in the private sector, along with electric ambulances, as the scheme continues to expand its coverage.

Industry Shares Experience with PM e-Drive

M. S. Anand Kumar, Vice President & Head – Regulatory Affairs, TVS Motor Company, congratulated ICAT on completing 20 years and acknowledged the leadership of Shri Saurabh Dalela. He also highlighted the importance of government policies, research and development and institutional support in strengthening India’s electric mobility ecosystem.

He observed that the PM e-Drive initiative has contributed to accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles in India and shared TVS Motor Company’s contribution and experience in the country’s evolving e-mobility ecosystem.

Dhanesh Singh Sisodia of Montra Electric spoke about the company’s journey in the electric mobility sector. He highlighted Montra Electric’s portfolio of four brands and its position as one of the younger OEMs in the sector. He also shared his experience of how policy support and incentives under the broader electric mobility framework have helped the company expand its presence.

Navneet Sethi, Montra Electric, further elaborated on the organisation’s operations and its experience with the evolving electric vehicle market.

Representing the Hinduja Group, Shri Prasanna Venkatesh also shared his experiences and observations on the development of electric mobility and the impact of the PM e-Drive ecosystem on the industry.

Rajiv Sharma, Sales Head – North, Force Motors, presented his perspective on the outcomes and industry impact of the PM e-Drive Scheme, sharing observations from the commercial vehicle segment.

Expansion of EV Charging Infrastructure

Uma H. M., General Manager, Beacon, highlighted the organisation’s efforts in expanding electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Karnataka. She shared insights into the development and expansion of the company’s charging network and its role in supporting the growing adoption of electric vehicles in the state.

ARAI Shares Perspective on Zero-Emission Mobility

Dr. Reji Mathai, Director, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), shared his perspective and experience in the field of electric mobility. He discussed the ongoing transition towards electric vehicles and the broader objective of achieving zero-emission mobility, highlighting the importance of technology, testing, standards and industry collaboration in achieving these goals.

Ministry Reaffirms Support for ICAT and EV Industry

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Hanif Quraishi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, appreciated ICAT’s contribution and performance over the past two decades. He acknowledged the vision and leadership of Shri Saurabh Dalela, Director, ICAT, and commended the collective efforts of ICAT’s officers, engineers and staff in developing the organisation into a financially sustainable and professionally managed government testing and certification institution.

Dr. Quraishi acknowledged the challenges faced by ICAT and its workforce during the organisation’s 20-year journey and appreciated their commitment to achieving the institution’s objectives. He assured the gathering that the Ministry of Heavy Industries would continue to support ICAT and other testing agencies in strengthening their capabilities and developing world-class testing and certification facilities, enabling Indian industry to compete at the global level.

He also assured representatives of the electric vehicle industry that the Ministry would continue to support the sector in strengthening its capabilities for both the domestic and export markets.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Amrendra Kishor Singh, Director, Ministry of Heavy Industries – Electric Mobility, who expressed appreciation to the dignitaries, industry representatives and all stakeholders for their participation and valuable contributions to the dialogue.

The industry interaction served as an important platform for strengthening government-industry collaboration and gathering practical feedback on the PM e-Drive Scheme, while also reinforcing the shared objective of accelerating India’s transition towards sustainable and zero-emission mobility.