‘Those wanting to buy BMWs should switchover’: Amitabh Kant urges shift to Made-in-India EVs amid Lokpal row
Former NITI Aayog CEO and India’s last G20 Sherpa, Amitabh Kant, has urged Indian car buyers to choose Made-in-India electric vehicles (EVs) over imported luxury cars, following reports that the Lokpal of India is planning to buy seven high-end BMWs.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Kant shared photos of his newly purchased Mahindra XEV9 and said he was proud to support Indian innovation and the Make in India initiative.
“I have just switched to the Mahindra XEV9, embracing born electric mobility. It has a highly innovative design, advanced EV technology, and superb driving performance,” Kant wrote on October 22.
“Delighted to contribute to India’s journey towards a greener future while supporting #MakeInIndia innovation and manufacturing. Those wanting to buy BMWs should switchover to the Make in India EV experience. It will elevate you to another level,” he added.
Kant’s post comes at a time when the Lokpal of India, the country’s anti-corruption watchdog, is facing criticism after documents revealed it floated a tender to purchase seven BMW 3 Series 330 Li luxury cars worth around ₹60 lakh each. The vehicles, part of the BMW 3 Series Long Wheel-Base (LWB) line-up, carry an on-road price of nearly ₹70 lakh.
The tender notice, dated October 16, 2025, invited bids from vendors for the supply of seven white-coloured sedans, with the following key conditions:
Bid opening date: November 7, 2025, at 4 PM
Earnest Money Deposit (EMD): ₹10 lakh
Delivery timeline: Within two weeks (not later than 30 days) from the order date
Training requirement: Vendors must provide at least seven days of driver training, including 50–100 km of supervised driving
Vendor costs: All training-related expenses, including travel, accommodation, and fuel, must be borne entirely by the supplier
The tender has drawn criticism from activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan and Congress leaders, including Telangana’s Sama Ram Mohan Reddy, who questioned why an anti-corruption body needs luxury sedans.
Kant’s call to “switchover” to Indian-made EVs has been widely shared online, with many hailing it as a timely endorsement of India’s growing EV ecosystem and domestic innovation.
