India partners US to roll out 10,000 e-buses across country

The United States and India will collaborate on a project to deploy 10,000 made-in-India electric buses in Indian cities, the US embassy said in a statement on Wednesday. A key component of the project will be a new payment security mechanism that will “accelerate new and more sustainable investments by lowering financial risks,” the embassy said.

“The partnership announced today will mobilise financing for a fleet of 10,000 electric buses throughout India, expanding options for electric public transportation in India, creating cleaner cities and healthier communities,” US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti said.

Earlier this month, India and the US released a joint statement according to which a payment security mechanism will be developed to expand electric mobility in India with joint support from both nations. The partnership is expected to boost Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s PM e-Bus Sewa scheme, which aims to procure 10,000 electric buses for cities that do not have proper public transport.

The Indian government launched the National Electric Bus Programme (NEBP) in June last year, as part of which it aimed to deploy 50,000 new e-buses by 2027 in a phased manner. “This new initiative between the governments of India and the United States shows how public and private partners can work together to lower emissions and promote electric mobility,” said a statement by the US Embassy. “Through this new partnership, the US government, including the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the office of the US Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, will partner with public and private-sector entities to accelerate electric bus financing.”

— Written with inputs from Reuters