# Punjab ranks 16th, Karnataka 3rd in NITI Aayog electric mobility index 2025 2026-09-20T05:42:04+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets NITI Aayog released the India Electric Mobility Index 2025 on September 17, ranking Karnataka third among large states with a score of 73, placing it in the top-performer category alongside Maharashtra (78). Punjab scored 39, ranking 16th among 17 large states and remaining in the emerging performer category, with Hindustan Times reporting that only Gujarat (38) scored lower. The index, prepared with WRI India, assesses states across transport electrification, charging infrastructure readiness, and EV research and innovation. Karnataka achieved the highest charging infrastructure readiness score nationally at 97, and the state said it has 6,979 EV charging stations. Punjab scored zero on capital subsidies for public charging infrastructure and just 15 on commercial EV adoption, though it recorded 35,631 EV sales in 2025, up from 24,008 in 2024. The report recommends Punjab strengthen EV adoption with incentives for scrapping, permit exemptions, and lower electricity tariffs for charging stations. Punjab's EV policy has been extended until February 20, 2027. ## Indian Opinion Analysis Hindustan Times leads with Punjab's poor ranking (16th out of 17 large states, score 39), citing the detailed breakdown and the method change that partly explains the drop. The Hindu frames the same index around Karnataka's success (3rd nationally, score 73), quoting officials and highlighting the state's charging infrastructure readiness score of 97. Neither outlet critiques the NITI Aayog methodology itself. The contrast is purely one of geography: each reports the news from its home state's perspective, producing complementary rather than competing accounts. Karnataka's score of 73 and top-performer classification are the headline from The Hindu, Punjab's emerging-performer label and specific gaps in commercial EV adoption and charging subsidies are the detail from Hindustan Times. The report and its state-level implications are uniform, the framing difference is which state's data is foregrounded. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com (neutral report) Leads with Punjab's poor rank and low score, detailed local deficit-focused framing - thehindu.com (neutral report) Leads with Karnataka's high rank and official praise, success-focused local framing Tags: electric vehicle, Karnataka, Maharashtra, NITI Aayog, Punjab, WRI India Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/punjab-ranks-16th-karnataka-3rd-in-niti-aayog-electric-mobility-index-2025/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/punjab-ranks-16th-karnataka-3rd-in-niti-aayog-electric-mobility-index-2025/#story-in-brief