SIAM Hosts Sixth International Climate Action Conference to Chart Low Carbon Automotive Transition

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers organized its Sixth International Conference on Climate Action in New Delhi to outline next-generation sustainability frameworks for the domestic automotive sector. Held on World Environment Day 2026, the convention brought together public policymakers, manufacturing executives, and environmental researchers to address the decarbonization of the automotive value chain.

The core deliberations emphasized that a successful energy transition for India will rely on parallel advances across vehicle electrification, alternative bio-fuels, circular material recycling, and green supply chains rather than a single technology pathway.

During the inaugural session, Tarun Kapoor, Advisor to the Prime Minister of India, stated that the transport sector must serve a central role in strengthening national energy security by reducing dependence on volatile fossil fuel imports. Kapoor noted that while the three-wheeler segment is positioned for rapid, near-term electrification, the four-wheeler passenger market requires a significantly faster pace of adoption. He highlighted that the government is actively advancing a diversified energy portfolio, which incorporates biofuels, ethanol and isobutanol blends, flex-fuel technology, compressed biogas, green hydrogen, and coal gasification-based energy systems.

Industry leaders focused heavily on the economic and infrastructure realities governing large-scale commercial adoption. Abhay Bakre, Mission Director for the National Green Hydrogen Mission, noted that long-term technology investments must be evaluated on expected cost curves ten years out, adding that local fuel cell manufacturing could emerge as a primary sector driver if supported by synchronized charging infrastructure deployment. Executive insights from Olectra Greentech and PMI Electro Mobility highlighted that optimizing unit economics for end consumers remains crucial for mass market conversion, particularly within public transit networks where electric buses are currently spearheading fleet restructuring.

The technical segments of the conference targeted the implementation of circular economy models and manufacturing decarbonization. The automotive recycling sessions evaluated Extended Producer Responsibility frameworks, material recovery systems, and end-of-life vehicle management to conserve raw inputs. Additional panels on supply chain operations discussed the sustainable procurement of critical minerals, copper, and rare earth permanent magnets. To support India's ultimate 2070 carbon neutrality goal, the apex industry body confirmed it is managing targeted developmental programs focused on mass electrification, high-blend ethanol integration, expanded gas-based mobility networks, and safe transit infrastructure.