Amitabh Kant Urges India to Make Clean Air Top Mission

Amitabh Kant Urges India to Make Clean Air the Nation No. 1 Mission

News: At the India Clean Transportation Summit 2025, former NITI Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant urged a radical transformation in India’s transport sector, warning of a $200 billion opportunity at stake.

He called clean air India’s “No. 1 mission,” citing Delhi’s worsening pollution that even forced the G20 Summit to be postponed.

Highlighting India’s poor EV adoption—just 1% compared to China’s 60%—Kant outlined five pathways: full EV adoption in major polluted cities, phasing out old vehicles, mandating zero-emission fleets, bulk procurement, and building a strong battery ecosystem.

He stressed the need for strong political leadership, stricter CAFE fuel norms, and policies to boost heavy-duty EVs, which could create 5 lakh jobs. Kant warned: “Incremental action is long past—we need bold, integrated reforms.”