Startup Mahakumbh: India's Mobility and EV Landscape Showcase Innovation

The Startup Mahakumbh 2025 kicked off with a spectacular showcase of innovations that are set to redefine India's mobility and EV sector. As visitors stepped into the Mobility Pavilion, they were greeted by revolutionary technologies—Moonrider’s electric tractor and Sarla Aviation’s flying taxi—symbolizing the nation's leap toward futuristic transportation solutions. The event set the stage for thought-provoking discussions, investment insights, and policy recommendations that could shape India's path to sustainable mobility.

Driving the Future: Fireside Chats and Panel Discussions

The event commenced with a fireside chat titled Driven to Progress: The Importance of Mobility for Viksit Bharat. Moderated by Kunal Khattar, Partner at AdvantEdge Founders, the session featured Vineet Aggarwal, Managing Director of Transport Corporation of India. He shared valuable insights on the logistics sector’s crucial role in enhancing last-mile delivery and intercity connectivity.

“If Indian companies have to expand, they must first develop their market domestically, push for growth here, and then explore global opportunities based on client demands,” Aggarwal emphasized.

Accelerating Electrification in Auto, Logistics, and Shared Mobility

One of the most engaging panel discussions was Viksit Bharat: Driving Investments to Accelerate Electrification across Auto, Logistics, and Shared Mobility. The panel featured industry stalwarts including Chirantan Patnaik (Director, British International Investment), Aishwarya Kacchal (Senior Consultant, World Bank), Sanjay Sharma (Chief General Manager, ONGC), Arpit Agarwal (Investment Partner, Bloom), and Sandeep Agarwal (Founder, Droom), moderated by Kunal Khattar.

The session explored India's rapid transition toward electric mobility, highlighting major trends like multimodal transport, digitization, and alternative fuel adoption. Chirantan Patnaik noted that over $350 million has already been invested in India’s EV logistics sector, impacting both climate sustainability and the livelihood of gig workers.

Sandeep Agarwal, however, raised concerns over financing hurdles and residual value uncertainties in the used EV market, stressing the importance of standardized battery health data and predicting an online shift in used EV sales.

Aishwarya Kacchal compared India's EV journey with global trends, stating, “India dominates the two-wheeler and three-wheeler EV market (sharing 80% of the global share with China) and leads in electric buses with around 9,000 deployed. The country’s EV policy ambition and innovation are commendable, but there are gaps in commercial vehicle electrification and battery recycling.”

The discussion also underscored the need for financial mechanisms to support passenger EV startups, electrification in the agricultural sector, and circular economy solutions. Industry experts projected that India’s EV market could reach a staggering $206 billion by 2030.

Powering the Future: Integrated Manufacturing and Policy Incentives

Another highlight of the day was the panel discussion Powering the Future: The Importance of Integrated Manufacturing and Policy Incentives in EV Innovation. The session featured experts such as Parminder Singh (Autodesk), Wybren van der Vaart (BRIGHTBLU), Ishtiyaque Ahmed (Program Director, NITI Aayog), Rajesh Gaonkar (Founder & CEO, Sarla Aviation), and Anoop Srikantaswamy (Founder, Moonrider). Moderated by Swapna Gupta, Partner at Avaana Capital, the panel shed light on India’s manufacturing capabilities and the need for stronger policy incentives to accelerate EV adoption.

Ishtiyaque Ahmed reaffirmed the Indian government’s commitment to EV adoption, stating, “Climate action is urgent. The transport sector alone contributes around 14% of total carbon emissions. As part of our net-zero vision for 2070, we are aiming for 30% EV penetration by 2030. In 2025 alone, we have already sold around 2 million EV units, proving the sector’s massive potential.”

What Lies Ahead at Startup Mahakumbh

The first day of Startup Mahakumbh 2025 successfully set the tone for the days ahead, providing a platform for startups, investors, industry leaders, and policymakers to shape the future of mobility in India. With key discussions on financing, policy frameworks, and cutting-edge technology, the event promises to be a game-changer in India’s startup ecosystem.

Startup Mahakumbh is a flagship event bringing together India's startup ecosystem—including founders, investors, incubators, accelerators, and industry experts. Led by FICCI, ASSOCHAM, NASSCOM, TiE, IVCA, and Bootstrap Foundation, and supported by GEM, SIDBI, ECGC, DPIIT, and MeitY, the event provides unparalleled networking and knowledge-sharing opportunities.

The second edition of Startup Mahakumbh is set to build on the massive success of its inaugural edition, which attracted over 50,000 business visitors, 3,000 exhibitors, and 1,000+ investors. With representation from 26+ states and 50+ countries, the event is poised to drive impactful conversations and catalyze the next wave of startup-driven innovation in India.