TL;DR
India plans to deploy over 72,000 public EV chargers by FY28 under the PM E-Drive scheme to combat slow EV adoption, as current infrastructure lags behind demand despite rapid growth.
India is on an ambitious path to significantly expand its electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, with plans to deploy over 72,000 public chargers under the PM E-Drive scheme by FY28, supported by a ₹2,000 crore budget. This initiative aims to address the critical bottleneck of inadequate charging facilities, which currently hinders mass EV adoption across the country. As of August 2025, India had just over 29,000 public EV charging stations, indicating a substantial need for expansion to keep pace with accelerating EV demand.
Despite the rapid growth in charging stations—from 5,151 in December 2022 to approximately 29,300 by August 2025—the density remains low relative to EV sales. While over half of India's three-wheelers are electric, other segments like cars, buses, and two-wheelers show more modest EV penetration compared to the global average. The government's strategy focuses on targeting urban areas and highways, and two state-run oil marketing companies have expressed interest in deploying charging infrastructure under the scheme. Experts emphasize that widespread and accessible charging infrastructure is vital to alleviate range anxiety and truly accelerate EV adoption across all segments.
