Transport in India consists of transport by land, water and air. Road transport is the primary mode of transport for most Indian citizens, and India's road transport systems are among the most heavily used in the world. The growth of highway construction in India, fuelled by fast GDP growth (world's 3rd largest in PPP and 4th largest nominally), has reduced India's logistics costs to 9% (2025) compared to 8% in China, 12% in USA and EU.Govt constructing 10000 km greenfield expressway projects at 6 lakh cr investment- Gadkari, Economic Times, 9 Oct 2025.
India's road network is the largest, and the busiest in the world, transporting 8.225 billion passengers and over 980 million tonnes of cargo annually, as of 2015. India's rail network is the fourth largest and second busiest in the world, transporting 8.09 billion passengers and 1.20 billion tonnes of freight annually, Aviation in India is broadly divided into military and civil aviation. India is the fastest-growing aviation market in the world (IATA data). India's waterways network, in the form of rivers, canals, backwaters and creeks, is the ninth largest waterway network in the world. Freight transport by waterways is highly under utilised in India with the total cargo moved (in tonne kilometres) by inland waterways being 0.1 percent of the total inland traffic in India. In total, about 21 percent of households have two wheelers whereas 4.70 percent of households in India have cars or vans as per the 2011 census of India. The automobile industry in India is currently growing rapidly with an annual production of over 28.4 million vehicles (2025), with an annual growth rate of 10.5% (2015) and vehicle volume is expected to rise greatly in the future.
For the construction of green highways and to reduce the piles of municipal waste, India aims to reuse all of the existing piles of garbage for the road construction by 2027, of which 80 trillion ton of solid waste has been already segregated and reused for the highway construction as of 2025.India to utilize solid waste for road construction by 2027, Economic Times, 9 Oct 2025.
Research and education
The Indian transport research and education ecosystem is a multi-modal network designed to address the nation's logistical, safety, and strategic needs. This landscape is characterised by a duality: sectors that require centralised governance, and decentralised urban sectors that require policy-driven innovation. The foundational pillars of the centralised system are the domains of Rail and Space. This multi-modal ecosystem is geared towards generating solutions for India's future mobility challenges across transport verticals.
Transport policy
Research: Organisations like Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) India translate the technical findings into tangible policy action, assisting municipal corporations in implementing successful Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) systems and creating Complete Streets networks that prioritise walking and cycling, which is vital given India's large population.
Space transport
Research in space transport is managed entirely by the ISRO under the Department of Space, with specialised centres like the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) for launch vehicle design and the Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC) for propulsion systems.
Education: Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Asia's first space university, for aerospace and avionics engineering.
Roads and urban mobility
Research: Research in Road, Urban Mobility, and Maritime logistics is highly collaborative, integrating government mandates with academic and non-governmental expertise. The CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI) is the national apex body for road infrastructure, dedicated to advancing pavement technology, geotechnical stability, and the implementation of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to enhance cost-efficiency and safety.
Education: Specialised academic centres ensure policy is informed by cutting-edge science: the Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme (TRIPP) at IIT Delhi is globally recognised for its pioneering work on Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs), directly influencing indigenous vehicle and safety standards. The focus on sustainable urban mobility is further advanced by the Centre of Excellence in Urban Transport (CoE-UT) at IIT Madras, which models advanced solutions for connected intelligent transportation (CIUT) and advises on concepts like Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Low Emission Zones (LEZ).
Railways
Research in Rail development is anchored by the Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO) under the Ministry of Railways, which is responsible for standardisation, design, and developing safety systems like Kavach and sustainable solutions such as the Hydrogen Train model.
Education: The specialised talent needed for these high-technology fields is systematically cultivated by dedicated universities, such as Gati Shakti Vishwavidyalaya (GSV) for rail and transport analytics.
Maritime logistics
Research: The Centre for Maritime Logistics (CML) at GMU focuses research on digitalisation and automation to maximise logistical efficiency across shipping, ports, and freight forwarding, directly supporting the strategic goals outlined in the national Maritime India Vision 2030.
List of research and educational institutes and think tanks
Category/Mode Institution Institutional Affiliation Primary Research/Educational Focus Notes Space Transport (Launch R&D) Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram ISRO / Dept. of Space Design and development of launch vehicle technology (PSLV, GSLV, RLV, Gaganyaan), including aeronautics, avionics, materials, and vehicle integration. Lead centre for launch vehicle realisation. Space Transport (Propulsion R&D) Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre (LPSC), Thiruvananthapuram & Bengaluru ISRO / Dept. of Space Design, development, and realisation of liquid propulsion stages and cryogenic stages for ISRO's Launch Vehicles, including key component development. Specialised in developing high-performance propulsion systems. Space Transport (Education) Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram Dept. of Space (Autonomous Body) Undergraduate (Aerospace/Avionics), postgraduate, and doctoral programmes in core space science and technology disciplines. Asia's first Space University, established to meet demands of the Indian Space Programme. Rail (R&D & Standardisation) Research Designs and Standards Organisation (RDSO), Lucknow Ministry of Railways (MoR) Technical advisory, design, and standardisation of railway equipment; development of indigenous safety systems (**KAVACH**) and sustainable technologies (Hydrogen Train model); publishes standards (e.g., IRS Track Manual). Functions as the technical consultant to the Railway Board. Rail (Academic Research) Centre for Railway Research (CRR) Academic (IIT Madras), MoR Partnership Applied Computational Intelligence (AI/ML) to railway engineering, focusing on Signal and Communication, Condition Monitoring, and Predictive Maintenance. Nodal academic research hub for specialised domains assigned by the Ministry of Railways. Rail (Education & Training) GATI SHAKTI VISHWAVIDYALAYA (GSV) (formerly NRTI), Vadodara Central University (Ministry of Railways) Inter-disciplinary B.Tech (Rail Infrastructure), MBA (Transportation & Supply Chain Management), and MSc (Systems Engineering & Analytics) programmes for the transport sector. India's first university focusing exclusively on the transport sector. Road & Highways (R&D) CSIR-Central Road Research Institute (CSIR-CRRI), New Delhi CSIR Scientific advancement of road design, construction, maintenance (Pavements, Bridges, Geotech), Traffic Safety, and the adoption of Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). Dedicated to shaping national policies and standards for road infrastructure. Road (Operational & Automotive) Central Institute of Road Transport (CIRT) Related to Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Research concerning the management and operational aspects of road transport services and public sector efficiency. Focuses on operational and management training. Road (Operational & Automotive) Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) Industry Association Vehicle technology, testing, and certification, addressing compatibility with road environment and safety norms. Urban Mobility, Traffic Design & Safety (Pedestrian Focus) Transportation Research and Injury Prevention Programme (TRIPP) Academic (IIT Delhi), WHO Collaborating Centre Pioneering research on Vulnerable Road Users (pedestrians, cyclists); promoting indigenous safety solutions and influencing helmet/vehicle standards. Integrates mobility, safety, and environmental concerns. Urban Mobility, ITS & Planning Centre of Excellence in Urban Transport (CoE-UT) Academic (IIT Madras), Industry Supported Modelling Connected Intelligent Urban Transportation (CIUT), TOD, Low Emission Zones (LEZ), and providing advisory services for Metros/BRT. Focuses on developing solutions for heterogeneous urban transport systems. Urban Policy & Complete Streets Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) India Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Translating research into municipal policy implementation; successful projects in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and development of Complete Streets networks prioritising NMT. Provides technical assistance for politically sensitive urban reforms. Maritime & Logistics (R&D) CML Academic (GMU) Improving efficiency and sustainability of maritime logistics through digitalisation, automation, and data-driven strategies for ports, shipping, and freight forwarding. Aligned with Maritime India Vision 2030 goals. Maritime & Logistics (Education) Gujarat Maritime University (GMU) Academic/State University Education, research, and training in maritime and logistics, including executive education on topics like Public Private Partnerships (PPP) and industry-academia linkages. Academic (Specialised Planning) School of Planning and Architecture (SPA), New Delhi / Vijayawada Academic (Central University) Offers specialised Master's Degree programmes in Traffic and Transportation Planning. Programmes recognised by the Institute of Town Planners, India (ITPI). Academic (Specialised Planning) CEPT University, Ahmedabad Academic Offers Master's in Urban Transport Systems, promoting an integrated planning approach across roads, railways, land use, and governance. Academic (General Transport Engineering) Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) (e.g., Bombay, Roorkee, Delhi, Madras) Academic Offers core graduate-level programmes (Masters/PhD) in Transportation Engineering and related Transportation Systems Engineering. Provides core engineering and analytical talent for the sector.The indigenous Collision Avoidance System (Kavach) includes non-signalling based non-guaranteed Collision Avoidance features, retaining its SIL-4 (Safety Integrity Level-4) features, which triggers immediate stops for two trains approaching each other on the same track section. According to RDSO, the Hydrogen Train model, with a total 2,638 passenger capacity, uses fuel cells to generate electricity, resulting in zero harmful pollutants and 60% less noise than diesel engines. This initiative is a step toward Indian Railways' ambitious goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2030. The Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC), Thiruvananthapuram, is the lead centre of ISRO responsible for the design and development of launch vehicle technology (PSLV, GSLV, RLV, and critical technologies for human spaceflight). The Centre pursues active R&D in fields including aeronautics, avionics, materials, propulsion, and systems reliability.