New Delhi: Union road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari on Wednesday said the government’s mission is to make India’s automobile industry the number one in the world. He was speaking at an event in the national capital, where he noted the significant growth and employment generation by the sector.

“The size of Indian automobile industry is now Rs 22 lakh crore... and mission for all of us is to make this industry number one in the world,” he said.

Gadkari pointed out that India currently stands third after the United States and China in the global auto sector. The US automobile industry is valued at Rs 78 lakh crore, followed by China at Rs 47 lakh crore, while India’s stands at Rs 22 lakh crore.

Reflecting on the industry’s growth over the past decade, the minister said, “When I took charge of the transport ministry in 2014, the size of the automobile industry was Rs 7.5 lakh crore and today its size is Rs 22 lakh crore.”

He also underlined the sector’s role in employment generation. “The automobile industry has created 4.5 crore jobs till now — the highest in the country,” he stated, adding that it is one of the top contributors to GST revenue for both central and state governments.

While highlighting the sector’s achievements, Gadkari also acknowledged the environmental impact of transport-related emissions. “The transport sector contributes to 40 percent pollution in the country, which is an economic challenge,” he said, urging the industry to invest in green and alternative fuels to mitigate the problem.

He further stressed the need to shift agriculture towards energy and power production as part of a broader sustainability agenda.

BI Bureau