PNN
New Delhi [India], May 28: The ITS India Forum has been unanimously given membership in the ITS Asia Pacific Forum by the member associations of ITS Asia Pacific, marking a landmark milestone in India's intelligent transportation journey. This development links India's vast mobility ecosystem with the Asia-Pacific's premier intelligent transport community. India, which boasts the world's second-largest road network and recently emerged as the third-largest automobile market, stands as a dominant global player in mobility. The new partnership is poised to accelerate the country's transport innovation by exposing it to global best practices and collaborative opportunities at an unprecedented scale.
Strategic Importance for India's Mobility Landscape
With India's road infrastructure and vehicle population growing rapidly, the timing of this membership is strategic. India's highway network has expanded massively in recent years, making it the second largest road network globally. At the same time, India has become the world's third-largest vehicle market, underscoring the nation's significance in the global mobility economy.
"India, with the second largest road network and third largest vehicle market, is a dominant global leader in the mobility economy," said Mr. Akhilesh Srivastava, President of ITS India Forum. "Joining the ITS Asia Pacific Forum will allow us to leverage that position to drive transformative change in our transport systems." By formally joining the Asia Pacific ITS community, we gain a seat at the table where regional ITS strategies and standards are discussed, ensuring the country's unique needs and experiences help shape future intelligent transport policies.
Global Best Practices and Collaboration Opportunities
Membership in the ITS Asia Pacific Forum unlocks several key benefits for India's mobility ecosystem:
* Exposure to Global Best Practices: Access to the latest international innovations in Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), from advanced traffic management and smart infrastructure to autonomous mobility solutions. Indian stakeholders can learn from success stories and proven models across the Asia-Pacific region.
* Collaboration & Partnerships: A platform to collaborate directly with ITS leaders in other countries, including governments, industry players, and research institutions. This opens doors for industry partnerships and joint initiatives, allowing Indian companies and start-ups to participate in regional pilot projects and business opportunities
* Technology Exchange: Opportunities to exchange cutting-edge technologies and ideas with international peers. Indian experts can both contribute home-grown innovations and adopt emerging technologies - such as AI-driven traffic optimization, connected vehicle systems, and smart city mobility solutions - adapting them to India's context.
* Global Policy Integration: Participation in high-level discussions will enable us to help shape future ITS policies and standards in an integrated manner. By voicing India's perspectives and learning from global policy trends, ITS India can co-create practical solutions tailored to India's needs while aligning with international best practices.
Collectively, these benefits are expected to strengthen India's efforts in building safer, more efficient, and sustainable transportation networks.
"This membership is a game changer for India's ITS landscape," noted the ITS India Forum, "as it will catalyse next-gen innovation through global cooperation and knowledge-sharing."
India at the ITS Asia-Pacific Congress 2025 in Suwon, South Korea
ITS India Forum is leading a high-profile delegation to the 20th ITS Asia-Pacific Congress in Suwon, South Korea (May 27-30, 2025).This annual forum will bring together global ITS leaders to explore advanced human-centric mobility solutions and green technologies such as electric and hydrogen vehicles. The Indian delegation will have the opportunity to showcase India's progress and forge connections with international counterparts.
A centrepiece of India's participation will be a keynote address by Mr. Akhilesh Srivastava, President of ITS India Forum, focusing on sustainable and inclusive mobility. In his speech, Mr. Srivastava will outline roadmap to provide safer, greener, and more inclusive transportation for all citizens. "Our vision for the future of mobility is to provide a safer, sustainable, and inclusive transport system to all," he affirmed, hinting at the themes of his upcoming keynote. He will highlight how connected vehicles, Mobility as a Service (MaaS) platforms, next generation road pricing (Road User Charging), and green fuels will reshape the future of transportation. These cutting-edge topics reflect the Congress's agenda as well, which prioritizes connected mobility, smart city innovations, and environmentally friendly transport solutions. The ITS India delegation is set to engage in discussions on global collaboration and industry partnerships - from co-development of technologies to bilateral pilot projects - ensuring India actively contributes to and learns from the Asia-Pacific ITS dialogue.
Catalysing Next-Gen Mobility Innovation through Global Cooperation
The inclusion of India in the ITS Asia Pacific Forum as 12th member is widely seen as a game changer that will accelerate next-generation mobility innovation in the country. By interfacing with a global network of ITS expertise, India's mobility ecosystem can rapidly adopt proven innovations, avoid reinventing the wheel, and leapfrog into a new era of transport technology. Areas like smart traffic management, autonomous and connected vehicles, real-time traveller information, and Mobility-as-a-Service stand to gain fresh momentum through international knowledge exchange.
Crucially, this move signals not just import ideas but also export its own innovations and leadership to the world. India's experiences in handling the complexities of a vast road network and diverse urban mobility needs will provide valuable insights to the Asia-Pacific forum. Global cooperation will enable Indian policymakers and innovators to co-create solutions for challenges such as congestion, road safety, and emissions, in alignment with global sustainability goals. "Suwon 2025 is a step towards global cooperation for a connected, sustainable future," President Srivastava observed, emphasizing that India is ready to "lead, learn, and collaborate for a smarter mobility future" on the world stage. He added that the insights and partnerships forged through this platform will help "shape the next chapter of intelligent transport".
As ITS India Forum formally joins hands with ITS Asia-Pacific Forum, it heralds a new chapter of innovation and cooperation. This strategic alliance is set to catalyse advanced ITS deployments across India - from intelligent traffic systems in cities to digital tolling on highways - and ensure that India's mobility evolution is informed by global experience. By embracing a shared vision of smart, sustainable, and inclusive transportation, India is poised to accelerate its journey toward next-gen mobility, benefiting millions of travellers and setting new benchmarks in the intelligent transport landscape. On this occasion, ITS India Forum announced that it will take a big delegation of Indian experts, Industries, and officials to ITS World Congress scheduled at Atlanta, USA from 24-28 August and will set up a uniquely themed ITS India Pavilion.
For more information, please visit - https://itsindiaforum.com/
(ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by PNN. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same)
