Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, has reiterated that India’s green mobility future hinges not only on electric or biofuel vehicles but also on the large-scale scrapping of old vehicles. He emphasized that scrapping old vehicles will not only help reduce pollution but also serve as a crucial source of raw materials for the automobile and clean energy sectors.
Speaking at the 7th Auto Retail Conclave of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA), Gadkari highlighted that scrapping can yield high-quality metals, which can be 100% recycled. He believes this process will reduce costs and strengthen domestic production capacity.
Gadkari urged both vehicle manufacturers and dealers to view vehicle scrapping as an opportunity rather than a burden. He noted that India imports fossil fuels worth approximately ₹22 lakh crore annually. A comprehensive strategy combining electric vehicles, alternative fuels, and scrapping is necessary to reduce this substantial expenditure.
He also mentioned that the demand for EV production and new battery technologies like sodium and aluminum batteries will increase rapidly in the coming years. The essential minerals for these can be obtained in large quantities from scrapping. Gadkari stated that the government is already working on a professional policy to facilitate the use of raw materials obtained from scrapping.
Addressing the industry, Gadkari stated that scrapping will benefit manufacturers in the domestic market and also increase export opportunities. He specifically addressed dealers, urging them to engage in vehicle scrapping, which will open up a new and significant market for them.
This clarifies that the scrapping policy can be a strong pillar on India’s path to green mobility. If dealers and manufacturers collectively take on this responsibility, the industry will benefit, and the country will move towards a self-reliant and environmentally responsible future.
