India’s dream of a greener, cleaner future is charging ahead. The country has set an ambitious target to ensure 30% of all vehicle sales are electric by 2030. With growing awareness, supportive policies, and rising EV adoption, India seems poised for an electric revolution. Yet, despite this momentum, the journey remains bumpy. The missing piece? A reliable and widespread charging network.
In FY 2022, India registered around 10.2 million electric vehicle (EV) sales. However, the nation’s EV charging infrastructure at the time stood at just 1,800 public stations, revealing a glaring gap. To support its 2030 ambition, India will need about 1.3 million public charging stations, requiring the installation of nearly 400,000 each year. Without this, the EV revolution risks stalling before it reaches its destination.
Government Policies and Support
India has seen large-scale policy measures to drive electric mobility. In 2019, the government launched the FAME-II policy with an outlay of Rs 11,500 crore, targeting support for 7,000 buses, 5 lakh two-wheelers, 55,000 four-wheelers, and 10 lakh e-three-wheelers for both personal and commercial use. Under the Electric Mobility Promotion Scheme (EMPS) with a budget of Rs 778 crore, incentives were offered for electric two- and three-wheelers, supporting over 3.72 lakh EVs, including 3.33 lakh e-2Ws and 38,828 e-3Ws equipped with advanced batteries.
In 2024, as part of FAME-II Phase II, the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) approved a capital subsidy of Rs 800 crore to set up 7,432 Electric Vehicle Public Charging Stations (EVPCS). Later, the government launched the PM E-DRIVE scheme with a budget of Rs 10,900 crore (Oct 2024-Mar 2026) to accelerate EV adoption, infrastructure expansion, and local manufacturing. As of June 30, 2025, India had supported over 16.29 lakh EVs under FAME-II including 14.35 lakh e-2Ws, 1.65 lakh e-3Ws, 22,644 e-4Ws, and 5,165 e-buses. Progress in public charging infrastructure showed 8,885 EV public charging stations installed out of 9,332 sanctioned, backed by Rs 912.5 crore in funding.
State governments have also joined the push:
– Karnataka: 25% capital subsidy (up to Rs 10 lakh) for EV charging stations via the PPP model.
– Maharashtra: Incentives up to Rs 10 lakh for >250 kW chargers, prioritising underserved areas, with chargers every 25 km on highways and 3 km in cities.
– Tamil Nadu: 25% capital subsidy for charging stations and Rs 2 lakh for battery-swapping stations.
– Delhi: Mandate for charging points every 3 km in urban areas and Rs 6,000 incentives for home/commercial setups.
At the national level, the NHAI and MoRTH have mandated EV chargers every 20-60 km along highways, integrating them with rest areas and targeting 700+ sites by FY 2028-29. The PM e-Bus scheme with Rs 3,435 crore aims to deploy 38,000 electric buses across India. Meanwhile, the 2019 Model Building Bye-Laws require 20% of parking spaces in new buildings to be EV-ready. India’s public charging stations grew 16-fold in four years to reach 30,000 in FY25, with 62% in metros and 38% in non-metros.
The Partial Truth Behind EV Charging Stations and Progress
Despite this impressive progress on paper, the ground reality tells a different story. Of the 30,000 public charging stations, 15,550 are non-operational and only 14,450 are functional. Even among the operational ones, just 3,034 are actively used, with a 76% low utilisation rate and only 24% high utilisation.
The main issues are slow AC chargers, weak power grids, uneven distribution, theft, and poor maintenance. Functional charger utilisation is below 10%, largely because charging times are long and stations are inconveniently located. A staggering 81% of chargers are in cities, leaving only 19% in rural or highway areas, making it hard for rural consumers to shift from petrol to electric.
In FY25, EV sales reached 19.7 million units, up from 16.8 million the previous year. Yet, the year-on-year growth slowed to 16.9%, compared to 40.3% in FY24. India’s EV penetration remains at 7.7%, far below China’s 54%, the U.S.’s 10%, and Norway’s 97.4%. On public charging availability, India has just 5 chargers per 1,000 EVs, compared to 200 in China, 55 in the U.S., and 29 in Norway.
Charger density per 100 km of road is 5 in India, versus 100 in China, 70 in the U.S., and 180 in Norway. The result is a charging ecosystem that’s patchy, unreliable, and over-concentrated in metros, under-serviced on highways, and plagued by weak grid connectivity and maintenance lapses.
Strategy and Private & Public Player roles
India’s journey toward achieving a 30% EV market share by 2030 requires a comprehensive strategy that extends beyond merely expanding charger installations. Standardization through open protocols like OCPP and OCPI is crucial for interoperability and scalability across networks. Strengthening grid infrastructure, deploying predictive maintenance, and preventing theft and downtime will enhance reliability.
Data-driven deployment of charging stations in EV adoption hotspots will ensure efficient utilization. Collaboration between OEMs, DISCOMs, CPOs, and private players will drive scale and innovation, while battery swapping for 2Ws and 3Ws, solar-powered charging, and Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) systems will boost sustainability and grid stability.
As per Redseer Analysis, India’s EV fleet is projected to surge from 7.5 million in FY25 to 55 million by FY30. To meet this demand, the nation will need 1.32 million public charging stations by 2030, a staggering 44-fold increase from the current count, by effectively doubling current capacity every 14-15 months. This massive infrastructure expansion will be key to achieving India’s clean mobility vision.
Additionally, Private and public sector partnerships are already shaping the landscape. Flipkart, Amazon, and Eternal are transitioning their logistics fleets to EVs, with 10,000+ EVs already deployed in India. TVS partners with Tata Power and Jio-BP for its iQube network. For four-wheelers, MG Motor, Hyundai, and others are building fast-charging ecosystems through collaborations with JSW, ChargeZone, Statiq, and IOCL.
EV Charging Stocks to Watch:
Indian Oil Corporation Ltd: Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) is a major Indian state-owned oil and gas company and is also involved in building EV charging stations. Indian Oil launched the first electric vehicle charging station in 2017. As of FY25, the company commissioned 4,656 EV Charging Stations, bringing the total to 13,614 EV Charging Stations and launched 37 battery swapping stations, bringing the total to 128.
Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd: Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL) is an Indian state-owned oil and gas company that refines crude oil, markets petroleum products, and is involved in EV charging station facilities. As of FY25, the company commissioned 3,428 EV charging stations, bringing the total to 6,563.
Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd: Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) is an Indian public sector undertaking that refines crude oil and provides EV charging facilities. As of Q1 FY26, the company’s EV charging facilities number 5,334 including battery swapping stations in their retail outlets.
Tata Power Company Ltd: Tata Power is India’s largest vertically integrated power company involved in the generation, transmission, and distribution and also builds EV charging infrastructure for home, public, and fleet charging. The company has 5,571 public and captive charging points, 151,657 home chargers, and 1,238 bus charging points as of Q1 FY26.
Ather Energy Ltd: Ather Energy is an Indian electric vehicle company that designs and manufactures electric scooters and builds a network of fast-charging points called Ather Grid. The company holds the tag of India’s largest E2W fast-charging network, with 4,032 charging points as of Q1 FY26.
Ola Electric Mobility Ltd: Ola Electric Mobility Ltd is a leading Indian electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer. The company is known for developing and manufacturing electric scooters and motorcycles, as well as core EV technologies like batteries and motors. As of FY25, the company has 4,000 Ola touchpoints and 1,000+ charging points.
Exicom Tele-Systems Ltd: Exicom Tele-Systems Ltd is a leader in the manufacturing of home and DC fast-charging EV solutions. As of Q1 FY26, the company sold about 15,500 chargers manufactured & sold globally.
Amara Raja Energy & Mobility Ltd: Amara Raja Energy & Mobility Limited, formerly known as Amara Raja Batteries Limited, is one of the largest manufacturers of lead-acid batteries in India and provides EV charging solutions. The first Indian company to localize IP67-rated off-board chargers and supplies of 2 kW and 3 kW off-board chargers.
Conclusion: Final Direction
India’s battle to build a reliable EV charging network is not just about infrastructure; it’s about shaping a cleaner, self-reliant, and sustainable future. The government’s vision is clear, industry participation is growing, and public awareness is rising. Yet, without dependable and accessible charging points, the EV revolution may remain a dream rather than a reality.
Each new charger installed, especially one that works reliably, brings India closer to its goal. With teamwork, smart planning, and determination, charging an electric vehicle can soon become as seamless as refuelling a petrol one. The road is long, but India is moving in the right direction, and the charge must continue.
Written by Shashi Kumar
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