In a landmark initiative to strengthen evidence-based policymaking in the transport sector, the National Highways Authority of India has signed an MoU with the National Council of Applied Economic Research to establish India’s first permanent and independent research centre dedicated to transportation, mobility and logistics economics.
The centre, to be housed at NCAER in New Delhi, will focus on applied economic research supporting long-term planning, investment decisions and policy formulation across the road transport ecosystem. Key research areas will include highway economics, freight logistics, modal integration, tolling policies, asset monetisation, road safety, regional economic impact assessments and technology adoption in highway operations.
Funded by NHAI with a commitment of support for the next 10 years, the institution aims to become a national knowledge hub, producing policy briefs, research papers, reports and capacity-building programmes for government agencies and industry stakeholders.
Officials from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said the initiative reflects NHAI’s growing emphasis on integrating research, data analytics and evidence-based decision-making into India’s rapidly expanding highway infrastructure network.
NHAI Chairman Santosh Kumar Yadav said the partnership will provide a dedicated platform for high-quality research and policy analysis, helping improve planning, investment and asset management decisions while enhancing connectivity and logistics efficiency across the country.
The centre will be guided by an advisory committee comprising economists, transport experts, public policy specialists and academicians, reinforcing its role in shaping the future of India’s transportation sector.
