**Executive Summary**
The National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER) to establish the NHAI Centre for Economics of Transportation, Mobility and Logistics. This initiative aims to strengthen evidence-based policymaking and research in the road transportation sector. NHAI will support the establishment and operation of the center for a period of ten years.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Establishment of Research Centre:** The partnership creates India’s first permanent and independent research center dedicated to the economics of transportation, mobility, and logistics, located at NCAER.
* **Core Objectives:** The center will provide a platform for applied economic research, generating actionable insights for long-term planning, investment, and policy formulation in the road and transport sector.
* **Thematic Research Areas:** Key areas of study include National Highway economics, freight logistics, modal integration, toll policy, asset monetization, road safety interventions, and technology adoption in operations and maintenance.
* **Knowledge Hub Functions:** Beyond research, the center will disseminate findings through policy briefs, flagship reports, and workshops while fostering institutional capacity and developing future talent in transportation economics.
* **Governance Structure:**
* **Advisory Committee:** Comprising economists, policy experts, and senior leadership from NHAI and NCAER to provide high-level guidance.
* **Steering Committee:** Constituted by NHAI to oversee research priorities, review outputs, and ensure alignment with operational requirements.
**Impact Analysis**
**NHAI**
**Impact**
The authority gains access to high-quality research and data analytics to improve planning, investment, and asset management decisions for National Highway infrastructure.
**Action Required**
NHAI must provide financial support for the center's establishment and operation for ten years and participate in the Steering and Advisory Committees to oversee research alignment.
**NCAER**
**Impact**
Hosts the new center and serves as the primary body for mobilizing contributions and conducting independent economic research in the transportation sector.
**Action Required**
NCAER is required to mobilize contributions from allied institutions and partners, conduct policy-relevant research, and disseminate findings through various academic and professional channels.
**Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and Other Government Agencies**
**Impact**
These entities will benefit from research outputs to design policies and programs that enhance the efficiency, sustainability, and user experience of the transportation ecosystem.
**Action Required**
The Ministry and related agencies should utilize the center's research findings and actionable insights to inform national-level policy and program development.
Key Entities Referenced
NHAI Centre for Economics of Transportation, Mobility and Logistics: India’s first permanent and independent research centre dedicated to the economics of transportation, mobility and logistics, established to foster evidence-based policymaking.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI): The primary body responsible for national highway infrastructure, which signed the MoU and provided the founding contribution to establish the new research centre.
National Council of Applied Economic Research (NCAER): A leading economic research institution that partnered with NHAI to host the new centre and provide research-based policy analysis.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways: The primary ministry overseeing the road transportation sector, which will utilize the centre's research outputs for designing infrastructure policies and programs.
Ministry of Road Transport & Highways
NHAI Signs MoU with NCAER to Establish Centre
for Economics of Transportation, Mobility and
Logistics
Initiative to Strengthen Evidence-Based Policymaking and
Advance Research in Transportation, Mobility and Logistics
प्रव तथ: 23 JUN 2026 3:16PM by PIB Delhi
In a significant step towards strengthening evidence-based policymaking and fostering high-quality
research in the road transportation sector, National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) has signed a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Council of Applied Economic Research
(NCAER) to establish the NHAI Centre for Economics of Transportation, Mobility and Logistics at
NCAER, India’s first permanent and independent research centre dedicated to the economics of
transportation, mobility and logistics. The centre is founded with a founding contribution from NHAI,
with NCAER committed mobilizing contributions from other allied institutions and partners.
The MoU was signed at NHAI HQ in presence of Chairman NHAI, DG NCAER and senior officials from
NHAI and NCAER. The first of its kind initiative reflects NHAI's commitment to integrating research,
data analytics and evidence-based decision-making into the development and management of country’s
rapidly expanding National Highway infrastructure.
Speaking on the occasion, NHAI Chairman Sh. Santosh Kumar Yadav said that "NHAI has been at the
forefront of enhancing national connectivity and logistics efficiency. This partnership with NCAER will
create a dedicated platform for high-quality research and policy analysis, helping strengthen planning,
investment and asset management decisions in the transportation sector."The Centre will serve as a dedicated platform for undertaking applied economic research on
transportation, mobility and logistics, with a focus on generating actionable insights to support long-term
planning, investment and policy formulation in the road and transport sector. It will undertake policy-
relevant research across a wide range of thematic areas, including National Highway economics, freight
logistics, modal integration, regional economic impacts of National Highway investments, toll policy,
asset monetization, road safety interventions, technology adoption in National Highway operations and
maintenance. The research outputs will assist the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, NHAI and
other government agencies in designing policies and programs that will enhance efficiency, sustainability
and user experience across the transportation ecosystem.
Beyond research, the Centre will serve as a knowledge hub for the transportation sector by disseminating
findings through policy briefs, working papers, flagship reports, stakeholder consultations, workshops and
academic engagements. It will also play an important role in developing future talent and institutional
capacity in transportation economics.
The Centre will be anchored by an Advisory Committee comprising leading economists, transportation
specialists, public policy experts and eminent academicians, along with NHAI's Member (Finance) and the
Director General, NCAER. In addition, a Steering Committee constituted by NHAI will oversee research
priorities, review outputs and facilitate alignment with the Authority's policy and operational
requirements. NHAI will support the establishment and operation of the institution for a period of ten
years.
By fostering deeper understanding of the economic dimensions of transportation infrastructure, mobility
systems and logistics networks, the unique institution will support more informed decision-making,
enhance policy effectiveness and contribute to the development of a robust, modern and world class
National Highway network.
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GDH/DS
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