Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on Monday said that bioenergy has the potential to replace up to 50per cent of India's fossil fuel consumption within five years. He urged the automobile industry to accelerate research and development in alternative fuel technologies to reduce dependence on imported crude oil and curb air pollution, reports PTI.

Speaking at the ‘Bhoomipujan’ ceremony of the Indian School for Design of Automobiles, Gadkari highlighted the growing concerns around air pollution, attributing 40per cent of it to emissions from the transport sector.

“Air pollution has become a serious problem due to fossil fuels,” he said, underlining the urgent need to shift to cleaner fuel alternatives.

Alternative Fuels in Focus

India is exploring a broad range of alternative fuels including ethanol, flex-fuel engines, methanol, biodiesel, bio-LNG, CNG, electric, and hydrogen. Ethanol is already being blended up to 20per cent in petrol, he said, adding that further diversification is key to energy security.

“With an import bill of ₹22 lakh crore for fossil fuels, the shift to bioenergy is not only environmentally essential but economically strategic,” the minister emphasized.

Call for R&D in Auto Sector

Gadkari urged the automobile industry to ramp up innovation in fuel and automotive engineering. “There is huge potential for new research. We must protect our ecology and move towards the Prime Minister’s vision of making India a carbon-neutral nation,” he said.

Auto Industry’s Economic Role Highlighted

The minister lauded the domestic automobile sector as a vital pillar of the Indian economy. “This is the industry with the highest exports — ₹3 lakh crore — and it has already created 4.5 crore jobs,” Gadkari said.

He noted that companies like Bajaj, TVS, and Hero export up to 50per cent of their production, highlighting India’s growing global footprint in the two-wheeler segment.

Concluding his address, Gadkari expressed optimism about the future of India’s auto industry, citing the convergence of innovation, sustainability, and economic growth.

“The future of the automobile industry is very good. We are on the cusp of a transformation,” he said.