NITI Aayog pushes market‑driven path to zero‑emission trucking

When Rajiv Gauba, the senior member of NITI Aayog, took the stage at the 5th E‑Fast India Summit, he didn’t just talk about clean trucks – he rolled out two brand‑new platforms that promise to change how freight moves across the country. The Platform for Aggregating Clean Transport (PACT) and the Zero‑Emission Truck (ZET) Marketplace were unveiled as practical tools, not just policy talk.

India’s road‑freight network carries roughly 70 % of the nation’s cargo, yet heavy trucks – which make up a tiny 3‑4 % of the vehicle fleet – are responsible for more than a third of transport‑sector carbon emissions. Gauba reminded the audience that in 2025, barely 800 electric heavy‑duty trucks changed hands. That’s a whisper compared with the roar of diesel rigs on the highways.

Why the lag? According to Gauba, the market is split into a hundred small logistics players, financing costs are sky‑high, and there’s no coordinated plan for charging stations along key corridors. In short, the ecosystem is fragmented, pricey and a bit directionless. PACT and the ZET Marketplace are designed to stitch those gaps together – by pooling demand, offering innovative financing, and mapping out corridor‑specific projects.

Think of it as a matchmaking service for the freight world. Companies that need electric trucks can team up, lenders can see a bigger, more reliable pool of borrowers, and charger operators get a clearer picture of where to set up infrastructure. Gauba also hinted at blended‑finance schemes, leasing models and stronger data platforms that could bring the cost of capital for an electric truck much closer to that of a diesel one.

The move dovetails with a slew of other government pushes – from production‑linked incentives for auto makers and advanced‑chemistry batteries, to public charging networks and demand‑side programmes like FAME, PM E‑DRIVE, PARIVARTAN and PM e‑Bus Sewa. All of this, Gauba stressed, isn’t just about cleaning the air; it’s about energy security, affordability and meeting India’s net‑zero target for 2070.

In his words, the evolution of the e‑FAST platform over the past four years – from a simple dialogue forum to a catalyst for coordinated action – mirrors India’s broader shift from intention to implementation in clean mobility. And perhaps the biggest lesson is that the government can do more by setting the stage and letting the market play the lead role.