India’s automotive industry entered the final week of April with two contrasting forces at play. On one side, the market continued to show strong demand momentum across vehicle categories. April sales data showed that the post-GST recovery has not lost steam, with dispatches and registrations holding up despite concerns around fuel prices, commodity inflation and global uncertainty. On the other side, companies remained cautious about the impact of the West Asia conflict on input costs, freight, energy and consumer sentiment.
The week also highlighted India’s growing role in global auto supply chains. The India-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement opened a potential export window for vehicles and components, while companies such as Maruti Suzuki, Renault, Skoda Volkswagen, CEAT, Schaeffler, and Sona Comstar underlined how localisation, capacity expansion and exports are becoming central to long-term strategy. In parallel, policy moved deeper into the EV value chain, with fresh localisation mandates under PM E-Drive and discussions on financing models for electric buses and trucks.
Labour Day brought the human side of the transition into focus, as the industry confronted the need to reskill nearly every layer of the automotive workforce for electrification, software-defined vehicles, automation and AI-led manufacturing. Busworld 2026 added another layer to the mobility debate, with policymakers and industry leaders pushing public transport, cleaner fuels, electric buses, hydrogen and charging infrastructure to the centre of India’s mobility roadmap.
Here is a detailed round-up of the key developments that shaped the automotive industry during the week:
India–New Zealand FTA Meets the Kiwi EV Surge Head-On
The timing is good. Indian vehicle shipments to New Zealand have been climbing steadily. Passenger cars made up about USD 10 million of the roughly USD 488 million India exported to New Zealand in FY2022. By FY2026 (through February), total exports had grown to USD 524 million, and vehicles had jumped to 5 percent of the basket, around USD 26 million, according to a Rubix Data Sciences trade analysis. With the tariff gone, Indian manufacturers will now compete on the same footing as exporters from New Zealand's other FTA partners.
Ministry of Heavy Industries Evaluates New Financing Models for Electric Commercial Vehicles
The Ministry of Heavy Industries held a high level meeting in New Delhi on April 29, 2026, to formulate financing mechanisms aimed at accelerating the adoption of electric buses and trucks within the private sector.
Chaired by Heavy Industries Secretary Kamran Rizvi, the session focused on identifying and mitigating the primary financial barriers to commercial electric vehicle procurement. Key interventions evaluated during the discussions included the implementation of partial credit guarantee schemes, which would help de-risk lending for financial institutions. Additionally, attendees considered interest subvention mechanisms designed to lower the overall cost of borrowing for private fleet operators.
Battery Smart Secures USD 15 Million Debt from Mirova to Expand BaaS Network
Govt Mandates Localisation of BMS, DC-DC Converters, VCUs Under PM E-Drive From Sep 1
The government has mandated localisation of electric truck components - battery management systems (BMS), DC-DC converters and vehicle control units (VCUs) - under the PM E-Drive scheme from September 1, 2026.
The Ministry of Heavy Industries has issued a notification on Wednesday amending the phased manufacturing programme (PMP) for electric trucks in the N2 and N3 categories of trucks.
Tata Motors Records 144 Commercial Vehicle Patent Filings in FY26
Government Proposes to Include E85, E100 Fuels under the Motor Vehicle Act
The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has issued a draft notification proposing amendments to the Central Motor Vehicles Rules to formally include higher ethanol-blended fuels, signalling a regulatory step beyond the current E20 petrol programme.
The government has proposed changes to introduce provisions for E85 and E100 fuels. E85 is a blend containing 85% ethanol with petrol while E100 is pure ethanol used for transport.
Tyre Industry Body Seeks Duty Relief Amid West Asia Supply Disruptions
Maruti Suzuki Expects PV Sales To Grow 10% in FY27, Flags West Asia as Key Risk
Maruti Suzuki India Ltd expects India’s passenger vehicle industry to grow by around 10% year-on-year in the financial year 2026-27, supported by sustained demand momentum after GST rate cuts improved affordability, especially in the small car segment. However, developments in the West Asia conflict remain a key monitorable for the industry.
“The broad expectation is about 10% growth in this year as compared to the last year. And, of course, the situation is dynamic, but this is the initial expectation,” Rahul Bharti, Senior Executive Director of Corporate Affairs, Maruti Suzuki India, said during the company’s post-earnings analyst call.
“₹14,000 crore capex, 5 lakh units to be added; ‘no company has done this anywhere in the world in a year’”: R C Bhargava
“Capex will be about ₹14,000 crore, the highest in any of the last years. We are continuing to install units in Kharkhoda, and we are setting up a new unit in Gujarat. Therefore, the capex has gone up,” Bhargava told reporters after the company’s FY26 earnings call.
"Don’t Harp on Market Share": Maruti Suzuki’s RC Bhargava Amid Aggressive Scale-up Plans
Revival of Small Car Market ‘Inevitable’ Over Next Few Years: Maruti Chairman R C Bhargava
“In the last 6 years, the share of small cars in our total volume has been declining because overall, the sale of small cars compared to what it used to be in 2018–19 has actually been coming down. That is the reason why the government also looked very seriously at cutting down on the GST rates. Now, with that happening, it is inevitable that what was lost in those last 6 years will gradually come back. And our share of small cars in our total volume will gradually go up,” Bhargava said.
“Minimal Impact on Car Market at Present”: R C Bhargava
Exports Key to National Interest, Not Market Share, Says Maruti Suzuki Chairman R C Bhargava
As Maruti Suzuki India Limited’s market share fell to a multi-year low, Chairman R C Bhargava said exports should be seen as serving the national interest, not just a push for market share.
The comments come at a time when the company is operating at near full capacity, limiting its ability to sharply expand domestic volumes even as demand remains steady. In contrast, exports have continued to grow rapidly, emerging as a key lever in Maruti Suzuki’s overall growth strategy.
Renault to Separate India Powertrain Ops, Opens Door for Horse Powertrain
French carmaker Renault, which has recently renewed its push to revive growth in the Indian market, has approached the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) to seek approval for restructuring its India operations by moving its powertrain business into a dedicated entity and integrating vehicle manufacturing and sales under one unit.
The company said the move is aimed at creating clearer operating structures that reflect the distinct requirements of its different business segments and strengthen India’s role as a manufacturing and export hub.
Stellantis Commences Citroen Basalt Exports From India to South Africa
New Pune R&D Facility Will Help Skoda VW Develop Products for India & the World: Piyush Arora
Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) is stepping up its India focus with the expansion of its research and development footprint in Pune, a move aimed at strengthening local engineering capabilities while also supporting global product development.
The company has inaugurated a new wing at its Technology Centre Pune (TCP) in Baner, positioning the facility as a key part of the Volkswagen Group’s global innovation network. Designed to house more than 250 engineers, the new centre will work on advanced vehicle development, platform engineering, software, and sustainable mobility solutions.
CEAT Lines Up ₹1,400 Crore India Capex in FY27 as Capacity Utilisation Crosses 90%
CEAT Ltd plans to invest around ₹1,350-1,400 crore in India in FY27, nearly 25% higher than the ₹1,076 crore capex incurred in FY26, as the tyremaker looks to add capacity amid high utilisation levels and sustained demand across segments.
However, the company will remain cautious in the first quarter due to the current uncertain operating environment and sharp raw material inflation. “Looking at the current situation in quarter one, we are going with absolutely mandatory CapEx, about maybe 200 to 250 crores. For our growth CapEx plus our normal CapEx, we need about 1300 to 1400 crores CapEx during the year. We'll calibrate our approach as we go along quarter to quarter,” Arnab Banerjee, MD & CEO, CEAT Ltd, said during the company’s Q4FY26 analyst call.
CEAT Expects Demand to Moderate in Near-Term as Input Costs Rise on West Asia Tension
Schaeffler India Expects Steady 2026 Growth Despite West Asia Headwinds
Schaeffler India Ltd expects to sustain its domestic and export growth momentum in 2026, even as the company closely monitors supply chain disruptions and input cost inflation arising from the West Asia conflict, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Harsha Kadam said during the company’s post-earnings analyst call.
Kadam said the company does not see major concerns in meeting its committed numbers for the year, though the operating environment will require close monitoring and agility. “In spite of the strong headwinds that we are facing on our supply chain front, due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, we have continued to keep our focus. We started our crisis management team meetings daily to ensure the supply chain continues to stay intact,” Kadam said.
Sona Comstar Pivots Deeper into EVs with ₹23,700 Crore Orderbook
Sona BLW Precision Forgings Ltd (Sona Comstar) is sharpening its pivot towards electrification, backed by a robust and increasingly EV-heavy orderbook that is beginning to redefine the company’s long-term growth trajectory.
As of the end of FY26, the company’s net orderbook stood at ₹23,700 Crore, 5.3 times its annual revenue, providing strong visibility over the next several years. What stands out is the composition. Nearly 70% of this orderbook is linked to electric vehicle programmes, signalling a structural shift in the business rather than a cyclical upswing.
Sona Comstar’s Earnings Signal a Shift from Components to Systems
Geopolitical Disruptions Open Door for Reforms in Manufacturing, Energy Security: JSW Greentech’s Mittal
Geopolitical disruptions and global uncertainty are creating an opportunity to push long-pending industrial reforms in manufacturing and energy security, which can accelerate electric vehicle adoption and localisation in India, a senior executive at JSW Greentech said.
While speaking at Busworld Conclave 2026, JSW Greentech CEO Sumit Mittal noted that the current global environment should be seen as a turning point rather than a risk for the mobility sector. “With this global uncertainty, I think it is absolutely important for all of us to kind of work steadily,” he said.
JSW Motors Convenes First Supplier Conference at Maharashtra Plant Ahead of EV Launch
Ather, Euler Flag 13-16% Cost Disadvantage Over PLI Exclusion
Electric vehicle makers Ather Energy and Euler Motors have said that the exclusion of some startups, including them, from the government’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile sector places them at a structural cost disadvantage of 13-16% compared with those included in the scheme. This potentially affects their ability to scale operations and compete in a fast-evolving market.
Founders of the two Hero MotoCorp-backed companies said the current eligibility criteria of the scheme, which are largely based on scale and financial thresholds, risk overlooking investments made by newer electric-first manufacturers that have helped build the country’s EV ecosystem. They added that the cost gap comes at a time when startups are investing heavily in manufacturing capacity, research and development, and localisation.
Hero MotoCorp Enters Ecuador with Quilmotors Partnership, Plans Network Expansion
Oben Evo E-Motorcycle To Drive Tier 3 And Tier 4 Expansion: Madhumita Agrawal
Oben Electric has unveiled its new EVO electric motorcycle, marking a strategic step to expand beyond metro and Tier 1 markets and tap into the next wave of EV adoption across India.
Positioned in the mass-premium commuter segment, the EVO is priced at ₹1,24,999 (ex-showroom), with a special introductory price of ₹99,999 for the first 10,000 customers. Bookings have opened at ₹777, with deliveries scheduled to begin within the next 30 days.
For Oben, IPO Size, Not Timing, Is the Bigger Question: Madhumita Agrawal
Oben Electric is eyeing a public listing in the coming years, but for the Bengaluru-based EV motorcycle maker, the bigger question is not when to go public, but how large a business it can build before that.
“The question is not whether we can go for an IPO, but how big we want to build the company before that,” Madhumita Agrawal, Founder and CEO, Oben Electric, told Autocar Professional. “IPO is a natural path to unlock value, but it is a new beginning, not an end goal.” The company indicated that an IPO could be at least four years away, with its current focus firmly on scaling operations, improving margins and expanding its market footprint.
OICA President Shailesh Chandra Flags Steady but Divergent Global Auto Growth
Speaking at the launch of global sales data by Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs d'Automobiles on the sidelines of the Beijing Motor Show, Shailesh Chandra, President of OICA and SIAM, and Managing Director & CEO of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd., said the global automotive industry is undergoing significant change, driven by technology, geopolitical pressures, and varying public policies.
He noted that while the industry remains resilient, the operating environment has become more demanding. Automakers are dealing with slower growth in some markets, increased competition in others, and continued uncertainty linked to trade tensions, supply chains, affordability, energy prices, and the pace of electrification.
Tata Elxsi CFO Gaurav Bajaj Resigns; Nalin Rana to Take Charge
Labour Day Special
Auto Industry’s Skill Reset: From Mechanical to Digital-First Roles
In a bustling service bay at the Ashok Leyland plant in Tamil Nadu, a technician faces a repair on one of over 10,300 vehicle variants. Instead of leafing through thousands of pages of greasy paper manuals, he taps a tablet and engages "Ask AI," a generative-AI-powered digital co-pilot. Within seconds, the AI navigates complex service manuals to provide an instant, precise response across the portfolio of 1,300 models, 20-plus aggregates and 10,300-plus variants.
Upskilling: The New Blueprint for India’s Automotive Workforce
Not too long ago, some of the toughest jobs on an automotive shopfloor were also the most physically demanding and the most risky. Workers handled heavy panels, worked in high-heat zones or carried out repetitive welding and painting tasks in environments where consistency often came at the cost of safety.
Today, many of those roles look very different. Robots take on the hazardous, high-precision work, while the human worker stands a step back, monitoring systems, responding to alerts and stepping in when judgment is required. And as Vinkesh Gulati, chairperson of Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) puts it, the real story of the future of work in India’s auto industry lies in how labour is becoming safer, smarter and far more skilled than before. “Automation does not eliminate human roles, it elevates them and that shift from doing tasks to understanding systems is already underway,” he said.
Reskilling the Workforce: The New Scorecard for India’s 3 Crore Auto Workers
India's automotive sector supports nearly 3 crore jobs, with the component ecosystem accounting for a significant share. On Labour Day, the question hanging over that workforce is no longer whether the jobs will exist — it is whether the skills will.
Electrification, electronics and software- defined vehicles are pulling the shopfloor into unfamiliar territory. Components now face tighter tolerances, higher efficiency thresholds and stricter NVH requirements. Next-generation vehicles demand capabilities in battery systems, sensors, control systems and software validation — none of which feature meaningfully in the traditional mechanical toolkit that powered the last three decades of growth.
People at the Core: Tata Motors Bets on Reskilling Over Redundancy
As the automotive industry accelerates toward an AI-driven, software-defined future, the conversation around labour is shifting from displacement to reinvention. Sitaram Kandi, CHRO, Tata Motors, talks to Autocar Professional about how the company is reengineering its workforce alongside its Industry 4.0 ambitions. From turning shopfloor operators into data-savvy problem solvers to creating pathways for technicians to evolve into specialists in EVs, electronics and predictive maintenance, Tata Motors is betting big on reskilling at scale.
Law and Logistics: Upgrading the Human Supply Chain for a 48-Hour Work Week
For the past several decades, the Indian trucking industry has functioned as the economy's vital, if somewhat chaotic, circulatory system. It is a world inhabited by nearly 15 million truck drivers, most of whom operate in a gray zone of informal arrangements, cash payments, and grueling hours.
However, a regulatory clock ticked with the Indian government issuing a new labour code implementation, designed to bring this massive workforce under a structured, transparent umbrella. While the new law came into force beginning April 1, this year, its actual implementation may happen after each of the states notify it at their own levels.
The Wages of Survival: The Hidden Cost of the Noida and Manesar Protests
India's industrial corridors are among its most promoted assets. The workforce running them is among its least discussed. Noida, Manesar, Faridabad and Ghaziabad form a belt of industrial estates within an hour of Delhi, producing auto components, electronics and much more on contract for multinationals whose brands appear on the finished goods. The workforce that keeps them running is predominantly migrant, hired through private agencies on temporary contracts, and in most cases paid just enough to remain.
In early April, worker protests over wages broke out in Manesar. On April 9, Haryana raised its minimum wage for unskilled workers by 35%, the first revision since 2015. The jump exposed the pay gap with neighbouring Uttar Pradesh, and reached Noida within days. On April 13, roughly 45,000 workers walked off floors across the district. The unrest then moved to Bhiwadi in Rajasthan and to clusters in Uttarakhand and Tamil Nadu.
Haryana Shifts to EV-Ready Buildings, Among Most Comprehensive Mandates in North India
April Sales Analysis
India’s Auto Juggernaut Shows No Signs of Slowing. What Lies Ahead?
April 2026 dispatches show demand resilience, all segments see growth. While original equipment manufacturers kept price hikes to a minimum, the market has already priced in a 5-6% fuel price increase expected in May. Despite these headwinds, auto sales growth underscores the underlying resilience of the Indian economy.
PV segment dispatches grew to 4.45 lakh units. Two-wheeler dispatches and retail sales both touched 19 lakh units in April, marking roughly 15% growth year-on-year. The three-wheeler and commercial vehicle segments posted double-digit growth, while the tractor segment expanded by 15%. Electric vehicle sales momentum shows no signs of slowing and the growth momentum is expected to continue.
Maruti Suzuki Dispatches Highest Ever 2.39 Lakh Vehicles in April 2026
Tata Motors Reports 59,701 PV Units Sale in April 2026
Mahindra Auto Sales Grow 14 Percent to 94,627 Units in April 2026
Hero MotoCorp April 2026 Sales Rise to Over 5.66 Lakh Units
TVS Motor Company Reports 7% Sales Growth in April 2026
Honda Motorcycle Domestic and Export Volumes Drive 17 Percent Growth in April
TVS, Bajaj, Ather and Hero Vida Open FY2027 with Strong E-2W sales, Ola Sells 12,000 Units
The Indian electric 2-wheeler industry, which registered record retail sales of 1.40 million units in FY2026, has opened FY2027 on a strong note. April 2026 saw a total of 148,677 units delivered to e-2W buyers, up 61% YoY (April 2025: 92,536 units) and in line with the strong growth displayed since the start of CY2026. April sales are the second highest monthly numbers in the current year to date, after March 2026 (192,343 units, up 46% YoY).
Small car comeback fuels rural demand surge; Maruti’s rural penetration crosses 52%
India’s rural car market is staging a sharp comeback, powered by a revival in entry-level small cars. Early signals from April suggest that the hinterland is once again driving growth, but whether this momentum sustains will depend on policy tailwinds, affordability and consistent supply.
“Rural market response is very good. We had grown by 39% and as a result of which our rural penetration is now at 52.3%, which is an increase in the penetration of 2.4% compared to April 25,” said Partho Banerjee, Senior Executive Officer – Marketing & Sales, Maruti Suzuki India.
Hyundai India Reports 17 Percent Rise in April Domestic Sales to 51,902 Units
Toyota Kirloskar Motor April Sales Grow 17 Percent to Over 32,000 Units
Kia India Reports 16 Percent Growth in April 2026 Wholesale Volumes
Tata Motors Tops EV Chart, Beats M&M to No. 2 PV Slot in April
Tata Motors emerged as India’s largest electric passenger vehicle maker in April 2026 and also retained the No. 2 position in the overall passenger vehicle market, both for the month and for the January-April period, according to VAHAN data.
In the electric vehicle segment, Tata Motors sold 8,507 units in April, ahead of Mahindra & Mahindra at 5,394 units and MG at 4,978 units. In the overall passenger vehicle market, Tata Motors sold 57,472 units during the month, behind market leader Maruti Suzuki at 1,58,223 units but ahead of M&M at 54,897 units and Hyundai at 47,345 units.
MG India Reports Three Percent Sales Growth in April 2026
Renault India Domestic Wholesales Rises to 5,413 Units in April 2026
Honda Cars India Reports Total Dispatches of 4,938 Units in April 2026
New Gravite and Magnite Demand Lifts Nissan Domestic Sales by 75 Percent in April
Tata Motors Commercial Vehicle Sales Grow 28 Percent in April 2026
Tata Motors Limited reported total commercial vehicle sales of 34,833 units for April 2026, marking a 28 percent year on year increase from the 27,221 units sold in the same month last year. The company recorded a 27.9 percent growth in its domestic operations, dispatching 32,965 units compared to 25,764 units in April 2025. International business volumes also increased by 28.2 percent, reaching 1,868 units against the 1,457 units shipped during the corresponding period of the previous year.
Domestic Demand Lifts VECV Sales by 6.9 Percent
Mahindra Last Mile Mobility Sells 10,292 E-3WS in April, Bajaj and TVS Clock Highest Monthly Sales
Like their zero-emission 2-wheeler and passenger vehicle siblings, India’s electric 3-wheeler industry has also opened FY2027 with strong numbers. In April 2026, as per Vahan, the 631 companies in this segment of India EV Inc sold 64,549 units, up 3% YoY (April 2025: 62,489 units) and up 1.5% month on month (March 2026: 63,549 units). These April numbers come on the back of the e-3W industry hitting a record high of 830,819 units in FY2026.
India e-3W Inc’s performance continues to be powered by three legacy OEMs – Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor Co – along with a few other companies. Here’s looking at the top seven best-selling e-3W OEMs which accounted for 45% (28,891 units) of the retail sales in April 2026.
Mahindra Tractor Sales Climb 21 Percent in April 2026
Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd's Farm Equipment Business reported total tractor sales of 48,411 units for April 2026, marking a 21 percent increase from the 40,054 units sold during the same month last year.
The overall growth was supported by a 20 percent year on year rise in domestic sales, which reached 46,404 units in April 2026 compared to 38,516 units in April 2025. Export shipments for the month also saw an upward trend, growing 30 percent to 2,007 units from the 1,538 units recorded in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Escorts Kubota Reports 24 Percent Growth, Decline in Exports in April
Sonalika Reports 16,223 Tractor Sales in April 2026, Registers 35.6% Growth
Earnings Reports
Maruti Suzuki Posts Record FY26 Revenue, but Profit Stays Flat As Costs Climb
Maruti Suzuki India Limited has reported its highest-ever annual revenue for the financial year ended March 31, 2026, even as profitability remained largely flat. The company's consolidated total revenue from operations rose 19.9% year-on-year to Rs 1,83,382 crore, against Rs 1,52,913 crore in FY2024-25.
Consolidated net profit for the year stood at Rs 14,679.5 crore, marginally higher than Rs 14,500.2 crore reported in the previous financial year. Profit before tax came in at Rs 19,118.5 crore, down 2.6% from Rs 19,620 crore in FY25.
Force Motors Q4 FY2026 Net Profit Falls 36%; Revenue at Rs 2,584 crore
Schaeffler India Q1 CY2026 Net Profit Rises 19.7%; Revenue at ₹25,070 Crore
Schaeffler India Limited reported a net profit of ₹3,197 million for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026 (Q1 CY2026), translating into a net profit margin of 12.8%, as the company sustained strong growth across its core automotive and aftermarket businesses.
Revenue from operations during the quarter stood at ₹25,070 million, registering an 18.8% year-on-year increase compared to the corresponding period last year. On a sequential basis, however, revenue declined 5.1% from Q4 CY2025, indicating a softer quarter-on-quarter performance.
Sundram Fasteners Posts Record Consolidated Income of Rs 6,368 Crores for FY 2026
CEAT Q4 Net Profit Rises 23% to ₹244 Crore
CEAT Limited reported a consolidated net profit of ₹244 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2026, with revenue at ₹4,219 crore, up 23% year-on-year. EBITDA margin for the quarter stood at 14.18%.
For the full financial year FY26, the company posted a net profit of ₹697 crore on revenue of ₹15,678 crore, marking an 18.6% increase year-on-year. EBITDA margin for the year was 13.16%.
Castrol India Q1 PAT Rises 4% to ₹242 Crore
Castrol India Limited reported a profit after tax (PAT) of ₹242 crore for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, up 4% year-on-year, while revenue from operations rose 9% to ₹1,545 crore. EBITDA for the quarter stood at ₹329 crore, up 7% year-on-year.
The company, which follows a January–December financial year, recorded steady growth in both automotive and industrial segments during the quarter. Volume growth remained in the high single digits sequentially, supported by market share gains and continued execution of its distribution-led strategy.
Motherson Sumi Wiring India Q4 PAT Rises 1.2%; Revenue Jumps 33%
Motherson Sumi Wiring India Limited reported a net profit (PAT) of ₹167 crore for the fourth quarter ended March 31, 2026, up 1.2% year-on-year, while revenue rose 32.6% to ₹3,335 crore. EBITDA for the quarter stood at ₹274 crore, up 1.1%.
For the full year FY26, the company posted a PAT of ₹625 crore, up 3.1% year-on-year, on revenue of ₹11,478 crore, an increase of 23.2%. EBITDA for the year stood at ₹1,061 crore, up 6.4%.
Bansal Wire Reports Steady Growth in Fourth Quarter
Busworld 2026
No Future for Petrol, Diesel Vehicles: Nitin Gadkari
Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Tuesday said there is no future for vehicles running on petrol and diesel in the long term, and urged the industry to shift rapidly toward cleaner fuels and improved public transport systems.
While speaking at an Busworld Conclave 2026, Gadkari stressed that rising fuel imports and pollution concerns make the transition to alternative energy inevitable. He said that India currently spends heavily on fossil fuel imports, calling it both an economic and environmental challenge.
India Slashes Bus Safety Testing Fees to Push Coach Makers Toward Compliance
Olectra MD Challenges Indian Bus Industry to Assert Global Leadership
Speaking at the Busworld India conclave 2026 in Delhi, Babu pointed out a historical disconnect between India’s market volume and its technological influence. "We are the number two bus manufacturing market in the world," Babu stated. "If you are number two, are we behaving like a number two industry? When I entered the bus industry four years back, we were not behaving like number two in the world".
India’s Electric Bus Shift Opens Global Opportunity: JBM’s Arya
India’s electric bus transition is emerging as a defining shift in the country’s mobility landscape, creating new opportunities not just domestically but also for global expansion, said Nishant Arya, Chairman, JBM Electric Vehicles, at Busworld India 2026.
Highlighting the pace of change in the segment, Arya noted that the electric bus ecosystem in India has already scaled significantly, with industry volumes crossing 100,000 units. This growth, he said, reflects a rapid evolution in customer expectations as well as increasing participation from multiple players across the value chain.
Public Transport to Define India’s Mobility Landscape: ZF’s Akash Passey
Public transport will play a defining role in shaping India’s future mobility landscape, with buses expected to remain the backbone of mass transportation, according to ZF India President Akash Passey.
While highlighting the sector’s growing importance and the operational hurdles at Busworld India Conclave 2026, Passey said rising demand for mobility across cities and regions is reinforcing the need for efficient public transport systems, even as private vehicle segments expand.
Daimler India Pushes for Liquid Hydrogen in Bus Transit Evolution
Speaking at the Bus World Conclave 2026, Andamuthu Ponnusamy, VP & Head of Bus Business, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, outlined a bifurcated approach to the decarbonization of public transport. While acknowledging that electric buses have found a foothold in urban centers, he argued that the requirements of high-density, long-distance travel demand a different molecular solution.
India's Electric Bus Push Stalls at the Depot Gate, says Purple Mobility's Prasanna
India's bus industry is navigating four simultaneous pressures: tightening emission regulations, a fuel transition, sharply rising passenger expectations, and the demonstrated ability of events halfway across the world to disrupt domestic transport markets. These forces have converged in a way that leaves operators and manufacturers little room to hedge their bets. That was the central argument made by Prasanna Patwardhan, Chairman and MD of Purple Mobility, a Pune-based major transport service provider, at the Busworld India 2026 Conclave in New Delhi.
On electrification, his diagnosis was direct. The first and hardest constraint is land. Diesel can be dispensed in five to ten minutes at thousands of petrol pumps across the country. Electric buses require one to four hours at a dedicated charger, which means operators need a depot they simply do not have. As he put it, "Unless you have parking space, you do not have charging infrastructure."