Reflecting on 25 years of India’s two-wheeler journey, the article traces how mobility, safety, localisation and partnerships shaped inclusive growth and future-ready, responsible progress.
16 Jan 2026 | 336 Views | By Tsutsumu Otani, Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India
Over the past 25 years, India’s mobility story has evolved alongside the everyday lives of its people. This transformation stems from a deep human belief: to build a society that experiences the joy and freedom of mobility.
Across cities, towns, and villages, mobility solutions have enabled people by ...
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Over the past 25 years, India’s mobility story has evolved alongside the everyday lives of its people. This transformation stems from a deep human belief: to build a society that experiences the joy and freedom of mobility.
Across cities, towns, and villages, mobility solutions have enabled people by delivering freedom, convenience, and enjoyment while meeting India’s evolving needs. Mobility has not just been about machines. We create mobility that unlocks freedom, expands possibilities, and strengthens trust in everyday lives. This commitment has been guided by the responsibility of being a trusted mobility partner making mobility safer, more inclusive, more innovative, and increasingly responsible, while offering universal and essential value for people.
A Journey that Began with a Belief
Twenty-five years ago, mobility in India was largely about necessity. Motorcycles dominated the roads, while scooters - once integral to households were in decline. Yet, from the outset, there was a quiet conviction that Indian market needed mobility solutions that were not only powerful, but also practical, inclusive, and easy to use.
That conviction revived a category that transformed urban and semi-urban mobility, empowering riders across ages, genders, and geographies. Scooters reintroduced comfort, reliability, and inclusivity to millions, especially to women and first-time riders, for whom mobility became personal, dependable, and freeing. What began as a bold step, soon evolved into one of the most remarkable transformations in India’s mobility landscape.
As people’s lives expanded, so did the industry. India’s two-wheeler market surged from 4 million units in 2001 to nearly 20 million today, establishing it as the world’s largest and a global manufacturing hub.
It is not merely a matter of volume; it reflects the deep partnership between Indian customers, dealers, associates, the engineers and designers across continents, many of whom grew alongside the industry itself. Over time, people's lives in India have transformed, from limited skills to new opportunities that expand living spaces and human connections. India’s rise as the largest two-wheeler market underscores the country’s central role in shaping the future of global mobility, not just as a consumer base but as a centre of innovation, manufacturing excellence, and skilled talent.
It also reflects how India has strengthened its industrial collaboration with global OEMs, with technology, knowledge, and values flowing both ways. The industry’s growth through mobility stands as a living example of how trust, respect, and shared purpose can build long-lasting prosperity.
A fundamental strength of India’s two-wheeler journey has been localisation. Global technologies were seamlessly adapted to Indian roads and consumer needs - from traffic conditions to fuel efficiency and durability, reinforcing the spirit of make in India. Over time, this has led to the development of a robust domestic supplier base, deeper localisation of components, and a resilient manufacturing ecosystem that has reduced dependency while improving quality, cost efficiency, and speed to market.
This supplier ecosystem has gone beyond manufacturing parts. It has enabled livelihoods, skills, co-creation, and long-term trust. It has enabled co-creation, skill development, technology transfer, and shared responsibility for safety, quality, and sustainability. This local ecosystem in India also reflects Honda’s wider global philosophy that mobility should transcend physical movement to enrich people’s lives and augment human potential, a core belief echoed in initiatives around the world.
Sustainable Manufacturing & Net Zero Impact
As mobility expanded, responsibility deepened. Sustainable manufacturing today demands reducing carbon footprints through energy efficiency, renewable energy, electrification, and responsible resource management, aligned with Net Zero goals. It also requires collaboration across the value chain to drive meaningful and lasting environmental impact. Honda is working closely with its suppliers to decarbonise the value chain and minimise resource use, reinforcing a comprehensive approach to sustainable manufacturing, ensuring progress that is mindful of both people and the planet. These efforts reflect Honda’s belief that responsible mobility must be built on responsible production, aligned with Net Zero ambitions, global climate goals, and the aspirations of markets like India.
Resilience: The industry has seen it all
Each shift strengthened the industry accelerating cleaner technologies, realigning portfolios, and reinforcing collaboration with dealer partners.
The transition to Goods and Services Tax (GST) unified a fragmented tax regime, while the recent GST rate revision affected pricing and consumer sentiment, requiring the industry to recalibrate pricing strategies, absorb transitional impacts, and work closely with dealers to maintain demand.
The industry successfully sailed through the quick shifts in the emission standards, emerging stronger, more resilient, and more agile by accelerating cleaner technologies, realigning portfolios, and supporting dealer partners.
The COVID-19 pandemic was another defining moment, disrupting manufacturing, logistics and retail activity nationwide. While factories paused and supply chains broke, mobility remained essential. The industry responded with resilience, from protecting its people, stabilising operations, to quickly adopting digital-first approaches such as virtual showrooms, online enquiries and contactless service to sustain engagement with customers, ensuring continuity even in uncertainty
Dealerships: The Local Face of Global Partnerships
A strong and widespread dealer network became one of the key drivers of the industry’s expansion, helping take mobility beyond metros and making two-wheelers accessible to a much wider population. The dealerships became important touchpoints for trust and education, introducing customers to new technologies, reinforcing safe riding practices, and supporting long-term ownership experiences. Each dealership represents not only a sales point but also a livelihood, a learning centre, and a bridge between global manufacturing and local aspirations, that enabled families to pursue economic independence. The result has been the creation of a vibrant ecosystem of local entrepreneurs whose collective effort sustains India’s position as the world’s largest two-wheeler market.
Road Safety: Making Every Ride a Shared Responsibility
One of the defining lessons from the past 25 years is that mobility is meaningful only when it is safe. India reported over 1.7 lakh road fatalities in 2023, with two-wheelers accounting for close to 45% of total fatalities, underscoring that road safety is not merely a compliance issue but a collective responsibility. Addressing this requires more than awareness; it demands rigorous training, clear communication, and consistent execution at every level. Accordingly, the industry has invested across India in training centres, rider education programmes, and community initiatives that promote traffic discipline and responsible behaviour by reaching out to children, schools, first-time riders, and fostering a generation that views safety not as enforcement, but as empowerment. The goal has always been simple yet profound, that is, to ensure that every journey that begins ends safely.
Workplace Safety, Well-being, and Inclusion
Safety begins at the workplace. Manufacturers have continuously strengthened shop-floor safety through automation, ergonomics, and rigorous training. Picture a factory worker wary of slippery floors and heavy lifts. Now, with machines that ease the load, smart tool designs, and daily safety drills, workers move with steady confidence. These measures have contributed to a steady reduction in incidents.
As organisations have grown, so has the understanding that well-being extends beyond physical safety. Mental health support, wellness programmes, regular health screenings, and work-life balance initiatives have become integral to employee welfare, recognising that a healthy workforce is essential for sustainable growth.
True progress empowers all, those who work hard and those who dream big, and progress is sustained when organisations empower not only those who deliver results, but also those who lead with initiative, curiosity, and courage. Another meaningful shift has been the increasing participation of women across manufacturing, R&D, sales, and leadership roles, reflecting changing mindsets and creating safer, more inclusive workplaces. Safer workplaces, inclusive policies, and skill development programmes have helped build an environment where women can contribute, lead, and thrive, strengthening both diversity and performance.
Economic and Social Ripple Effects
The responsibility of mobility extends beyond business; into the communities we serve and the environment we share. The growth of the two-wheeler industry has done more than connect destinations; it has connected aspirations. Every dealership, supplier, and workshop has contributed to India’s employment and skill landscape.
Women in rural areas once walked miles for water or school. Now, with scooters, she zips to class, starts a small shop, and dreams bigger thereby gaining independence and mobility that opens the world. Two-wheelers connect not just places, but also hopes that fuel village businesses, clinic visits, city deliveries, and self-made lives. In cities, they have supported last-mile logistics, self-employment, and mobility freedom. The cumulative effect is visible in India’s expanding middle class and in the rise of mobility as a driver of economic resilience.
Looking Ahead: The Next Chapter of Mobility
In a world of shifting regulations, rising customer expectations, and constant change, success lies not in reacting, but in anticipating. The road ahead calls for renewed energy, sharp focus, and collective ownership, to build trust through action and serve with purpose. India’s next mobility chapter will harmonize technology with trust, innovation with inclusion, and progress with responsibility. The lessons remain vital:
Transcend constraints and augment human potential. India’s two-wheeler journey is still unfolding, powered by a generation of riders who see mobility not only as convenience but as confidence, freedom, and new possibilities.
For us, riding with India has always been a shared journey, shaped by trust, responsibility, and long-term commitment. Honda’s global perspective, that mobility is a force for human potential and societal transformation, resonates deeply in India, where Honda remains committed to meaningful partnerships, innovation, and mobility solutions that elevate everyday lives.
Guided by the principle of “First Safety, Then Production,” Honda has successfully linked its global vision to India. Over the past 25 years, this partnership has meant anticipating change rather than reacting to it, strengthening local ecosystems, and placing people and safety at the heart of mobility. As India’s aspirations continue to evolve, Honda Motorcycles remains committed to advancing mobility that is inclusive, sustainable, and worthy of the trust placed in it. As the road ahead unfolds, our journey continues to be driven by purpose, strengthened by partnership, and committed to progress.
Tsutsumu Otani is the President and CEO at Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India. Views expressed are the author's personal.