Creating and developing infrastructure to support Electric Vehicles (EV) is as much of a focus of Electric Mobility in India as manufacturing electric cars/motorcycles. The purpose of this paper, Government Responsibilities for Electric Vehicle Procurement Service Support for Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure, is to help people through the Government's efforts to procure electric vehicle supportive infrastructure (both EV and non-EV). Governments are financing EV Charging Infrastructure, battery swap station developments, utility infrastructure upgrades, and government contracts for intelligent transportation developments at levels never seen before!
By March 2026, India already had over 27,700 public EV charging stations, with around 22,700 operational, signalling a clear move from policy intent to on‑ground deployment. This expansion is being driven not only by automakers but by a flood of tenders floated by state agencies, DISCOMs, urban bodies, and national entities such as Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
Charging‑station tenders at scale
At the core of the ecosystem are EV charging‑station tenders, typically covering highways, urban clusters, and public‑transport depots. These contracts span end‑to‑end scope: site development, charger procurement, installation, software integration, and long‑term operation and maintenance (O&M).
Many tenders now follow PPP‑style or DBFOT‑like structures, where bidders are awarded 5–10‑year concessions to set up, operate, and maintain charging stations. For example, recent bids have targeted clusters of 30–50 public charging stations per city, with mixes of 6–60 kW DC fast‑chargers and 150–350 kW high‑power units for inter‑city buses and fleet vehicles.
Eligibility usually demands prior experience in electrical infrastructure, partnerships with charger OEMs, and proven multi‑location execution capability. For EPC players, energy‑service companies, and oil‑marketing firms, these contracts offer recurring revenue through O&M and revenue‑sharing models, not just one‑time project execution.
Beyond plug‑in charging: battery‑swap and urban hubs
The opportunity landscape now extends well beyond conventional plug‑in chargers. A growing number of tenders focus on battery‑swap infrastructure, especially for two‑ and three‑wheelers in dense urban markets.
In 2026, trackers list around 240 battery‑swap‑station tenders across India, concentrated in cities like Chennai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, and Jaipur, often on municipal land, metro stations, or railway‑owned sites. These projects typically involve 3–5‑year concessions for setting up swap‑bays, battery racks, safety systems, and integration with city‑level EV platforms.
For instance, Ludhiana’s recent PCS‑plus‑swap tender calls for 50 EV‑charging stations and 10 battery‑swap points, with a 10‑year O&M mandate, signalling a move toward integrated, multi‑modal hubs that support rickshaws, last‑mile fleets, and shared mobility.
Grid and power‑system upgrades
No EV‑infrastructure story is complete without grid and power‑system upgrades. Utilities, DISCOMs, and transmission companies are floating tenders for sub‑station upgrades, dedicated feeders, and renewable‑energy integration to support large‑scale EV adoption.
Recent bids specify dedicated 200 kVA–1 MVA substations and HT/LT networks tagged explicitly for “proposed EV charging stations” at Indian Oil pumps, railway land, and urban EV parks. Power‑Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) and state‑level transmission bodies are increasingly involved in this backbone, making these tenders highly relevant for companies in transmission, smart‑grids, and energy‑storage solutions.
Smart systems, software, and digital platforms
The scope of EV‑infrastructure tenders is also expanding into digital platforms and software. Contracts now include network‑management systems, mobile apps for booking and payment, real‑time monitoring, and data feeds to central or state‑level EV‑portals.
The convergence has presented opportunities to many IT companies, SaaS providers and mobility technology startups that are not typically considered traditional infrastructure players. In addition, integration with a platform such as the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) allows for more efficient vendor onboarding and standardization of procurement processes for public charging/battery swap projects.
Policy tailwinds and competitive intensity
The segment is strategically aligned with national missions such as FAME‑India and India’s broader decarbonization goals. Many EV‑related tenders now come with viability‑gap funding, demand‑aggregation models, and capped tariff structures, improving project viability and reducing risk for private bidders.
At the same time, competition is intensifying. The pipeline of EV‑infrastructure tenders has grown sharply: trackers show over 1,100 EV‑charging‑station tenders in 2025 and around 850–900 live PCS and BSS‑related notices in 2026, spread across states like Maharashtra, Delhi‑NCR, Gujarat, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu.
Oil‑marketing companies, power utilities, EPC giants, and private mobility platforms are all entering the fray, transforming EV‑infrastructure into a multi‑layered, high‑stakes arena.
A multi‑layered opportunity
In essence, EV‑infrastructure tenders represent a multi‑layered opportunity—spanning hardware, grid services, battery technology, and software platforms. Companies that can offer integrated solutions or build strong consortiums (EPC + OEM + software + O&M) are better positioned to win large‑scale PCS, BSS, and network‑management contracts.
As India accelerates toward its electric‑mobility targets, the real race is not just to manufacture EVs, but to build and operate the network that keeps them moving. For market researchers, bidders, and investors, EV‑infrastructure tenders are now a core lens for tracking India’s energy‑transition playbook.
