India sees clean auto technology as central to its plans to curb its dependence on petroleum products and ease debilitating air pollution in its cities, while meeting its national commitment to cut planet-heating emissions from fossil fuel use to net-zero by 2070.
The government is aiming for 30% of total car sales to be electric by 2030, up from electric vehicles being just half a percent of all vehicles on Indian roads today, according to official data.
It is offering companies billions of dollars in incentives to build clean cars and their components.
Depending on the level of local manufacturing, a scenario with 30% electric cars by 2030 may support around 20%-25% fewer jobs than the internal combustion engine industry now as electric vehicles rely more on software and electronics, according to a 2019 report on India’s transition.
The report by two nonprofits – the Council on Energy, Environment and Water and Shakti Sustainable Energy Foundation – said catering to the new jobs in the electric-vehicle industry would require re-skilling and vocational training for the workforce.
At a webinar earlier this year on achieving a “just transition” in the sector, hosted by government think-tank Niti Aayog and World Resources Institute India, panellists estimated that 20%-40% of existing jobs would become obsolete.
by Anuradha Nagaraj, Thomson Reuters Foundation
09/11/2022