The production-linked incentive (PLI) scheme for the automobile sector has created market distortions, excluded innovation-led electric two-wheeler (e2w) makers, and failed to convert cost advantages into export competitiveness, with 77 per cent of export volumes driven by non-PLI models, said a report released by the Centre for Domestic Economy Policy Research (C-DEP) on Friday.
Indian car buyers care more about affordability than technology, keeping ICE vehicles dominant while hybrids emerge as the preferred transition option and EVs struggle in the mass market.
Government schemes such as the PM E-Drive initiative, with allocations of around Rs 2,000 crore for charging points deployment, are helping accelerate rollout
The India-EU free trade deal could help Indian-made cars enter Europe at lower costs and challenge Chinese dominance.
India's electric vehicle (EV) markets expanded gains in January compared to the year-ago period, as two-wheeler and passenger vehicle sales triggered a shuffle in the competitive landscape, data from an automobile dealers' association showed.
'When it comes to enterprise context, there is a big lag between how fast technology is evolving and how it is getting deployed at the end of the day. That is where the challenge is going to be.'
Air India grounded a Boeing 787-8 after a pilot reported a potential fuel control switch defect. The incident occurs amidst an ongoing investigation into the airline's Dreamliner crash last June.
Automobile retail sales rose nearly 18 per cent year-on-year to over 27 lakh units in January, led by continued post-GST momentum, healthy rural cash flows on the back of harvest and weddings, and sustained demand visibility across freight, dealer's body FADA said on Tuesday.
In a statement, the airline said it has completed precautionary re-inspections of the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) across all operational Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet.
Speculation about rising competition from global majors has led to shares of major Indian automobile manufacturers such as Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Maruti Suzuki India, and Tata Motors taking a hit on the BSE.
'We have been insisting that all Boeing 787 aircraft be grounded and checked for the electrical systems.'
Network scale seen as central to tapping smaller markets.
The fiscal tilt towards capex benefits companies in investment-related sectors like capital goods, defence equipment, engineering & construction and metal & mining. The planned cut in revenue expenditure will weigh on companies in consumption sectors like FMCG, consumer durables and retail.
After two years of strong gains, smallcap stocks fell sharply in 2025, but the correction may be setting up opportunities for long-term investors.
Starting January, the market is expected to welcome models like the Tata Punch 2025 which is expected to be around 6 lakh, Mahindra BE 07 EV around 29 lakh, Maruti WagonR Electric around 8.5 lakh, Toyota 3-Row SUV around 14 lakh, and Volkswagen Tera to be around 8 lakh.
After a record-breaking year, India's automobile industry is entering 2026 on a relatively strong footing, with sales growth expected in the 6-8 per cent range. The outlook is underpinned by policy support, including GST rationalisation, easing monetary conditions, and income tax relief, which together are likely to improve affordability and sustain consumer demand across vehicle segments.
Retail sales of vehicles across categories in India in 2025 grew by 7.71 per cent at 2,81,61,228 units as compared to 2,61,45,445 in 2024, with GST 2.0 helping overcome a subdued start to the year, Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations said on Tuesday.
Indian automakers are reviving legacy nameplates to leverage brand recall and stand out in a crowded market, as classic badges like Sierra, Safari, Baleno and Scorpio return to attract buyers.
'It's harder to attract women initially, but once they come in, retention is significantly higher.'
'In India's competitive automotive market, staying relevant means continuously raising the bar.'
Insurance intermediaries who receive disproportionately high commissions are likely to see a decline in their payouts, post the new Insurance Amendment Bill. The new Bill gives the Insurance Regulatory & Development Authority of India (Irdai) the power to disgorge unlawful gains made by insurers and intermediaries as well as the right to limit commissions paid to intermediaries.
While GST on ICE vehicles was brought down significantly, for electric cars it remained at 5 per cent.
Maruti Suzuki India plans to localise battery production and other critical components over the next few years as part of strengthening the overall EV ecosystem in the country. The company, which plans to launch its first electric vehicle - e VITARA in the domestic market next year, is looking to instill confidence in the buyers as it looks to strengthen the overall EV ecosystem.
Electric two-wheeler (e2W) companies are upset with some of their suppliers of heavy rare-earth magnet-powered electric motors, who have objected to their proposal - under consideration by the government - that would allow e2W original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) an exemption from localisation norms on electric motors, thereby enabling them to continue receiving the 5,000-per-vehicle subsidy.V
Companies with "gas guzzlers" are trying to set up the wrong narrative against small cars getting relaxation in the proposed corporate average fuel efficiency (CAFE-III) norms on the basis of weight, Maruti Suzuki senior executive officer corporate affairs Rahul Bharti said on Monday, bringing to the fore deep division among carmakers regarding the upcoming rules.
The Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Ficci) has sought urgent steps to clear the huge backlog of income-tax appeals, simplify tax deducted at source (TDS) compliance, and ensure tax neutrality for fast-track demergers, during its consultation with Revenue Secretary Arvind Shrivastava ahead of the Union Budget 2026-27.
More Indians start car shopping online, pushing automakers and dealers to respond quickly, train staff, and use AI to turn clicks into showroom visits.
In absolute terms, both types of cars must cut emissions by about 28-29 g/km. But in percentage terms, the lighter 900-kg car must reduce emissions by 27 per cent, while the 1,500-kg car needs a 22 per cent cut. And the target becomes progressively stringent for both -- but, once again, the tightening is sharper for the 900-kg car than for the 1500-kg car.
Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles (TMPV) on Friday reported a 13 per cent year-on-year (Y-o-Y) decline in consolidated revenue from operations for the second quarter of 2025-26 (Q2FY26), largely due to the cyberattack on its subsidiary Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in late August that forced a shutdown of its manufacturing operations for over five weeks.
'The delay is high in India, and even higher in the case of electric vehicles.'
'In the January-August period, the share of hatchback in the overall PV industry sales was about 22.4 per cent. In the September-October period, the share of hatchbacks has come down to 20.4 per cent. In just October, their share was just 20 per cent. This is simple wholesale data from industry body SIAM.'
'Despite assurance from China, none of the companies have received supplies from Chinese sellers.'
Grant Thornton Bharat's latest survey indicates that hybrids are set to consolidate market share this festive season, bridging the gap between conventional petrol engines and the emerging electric vehicle segment.
Manufacturers of passenger vehicles (PVs) in the first half of the calendar year (2025) reported a modest 0.5 per cent year-on-year increase in wholesale dispatches, while retail sales grew 2.5 per cent for the same period, reflecting a calibrated approach by automakers amid elevated dealership inventories and cautious consumer sentiment. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (Siam), dispatches rose marginally to 2.16 million units, up from 2.15 million units a year earlier.
Passenger vehicle retail sales shot up 35 per cent year-on-year during the nine-day Navratri period this year, helping the overall registrations last month grow 6 per cent, as offtakes remained muted in the first 21 days of the month and only took off after the roll-out of new GST rates on September 22, dealer' body FADA said on Tuesday.
'Lots of YouTubers and influencers use a phone that can do lots of things, but if you need to do heavy editing or proper editing, you will still come back to a proper laptop setup.'
'The E20 usage accrues the huge benefit to the nation, to the society, to the farmer, to the environment, to the exchequer and all of us'
Since April 4, around 35 importers in India have either not received any shipment of the magnets or have not been granted the import licences by China.
Hero MotoCorp and TVS Motor crossed Rs 1,000 crore in R&D spend for the first time, as legacy OEMs accelerate innovation to compete with new-age EV players.
Multiple tailwinds for the automobile sector, including a cut in goods and services tax (GST) rates, are keeping analysts bullish on auto stocks from a long-term perspective, even as they see the rally running its course in the near term.
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