MeitY and MHI Launch Joint Call for Proposals to Boost Indigenous Electric Vehicle Sub-systems Development

New Delhi: In a significant push towards strengthening India’s electric vehicle (EV) ecosystem, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) in collaboration with the Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) today announced a Joint Call for Proposals aimed at developing indigenous EV sub-systems. The announcement was made at a ceremony held at Electronics Niketan, New Delhi, marking a major step towards realizing the government’s vision of self-reliance in the EV sector.

While launching the initiative, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, emphasized the importance of collaboration between innovators, researchers, industry, and academia to drive the development of indigenous EV technologies. “Innovators and researchers, in collaboration with industry and academia, can boost technology development and make indigenous products available for the EV ecosystem,” he said. Dr. Hanif Qureshi, Additional Secretary, MHI, echoed this sentiment, stating that the joint call would enhance the development of indigenous technologies in the EV sector.

The Joint Call for Proposals will focus on key areas of innovation including EV chargers and charging infrastructure, electric motors and drive systems, battery management systems, telematics, functional safety, and security. Additionally, a center for prototyping and testing to validate EV sub-systems will also be developed. This initiative is open to participation from research institutions, startups, and industry players, with financial support provided by MeitY and standardization and testing support from MHI.

The program is aimed at advancing indigenous subsystems with a focus on reducing dependence on imports, enhancing product quality, and ensuring cost-effectiveness. Proposals that lead to the development of devices or prototypes with high Technology Readiness Levels (TRL 7 and above) and have strong commercialization potential will be given preference for financial backing.

The initiative is expected to play a pivotal role in driving innovation in EV technologies, particularly in the areas of electric drivetrains, motors, controllers, converters, and battery management systems. It aligns with the Government of India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative and aims to position India as a global leader in the EV space.

Bhuvnesh Kumar, Additional Secretary, MeitY, and prominent stakeholders from the EV industry were also present at the event. They reiterated that this initiative would help accelerate research, development, and manufacturing of critical EV components, contributing to India’s ambitious EV adoption targets. The details of the call for proposals are available on the MeitY website.