John Deere completed 25 years of its services in India this year. On this occasion, a press meet was held at the John Deere factory in Pune, India today. Ramakant Garg, Director – Sales and Marketing, John Deere India; Shailendra Jagtap, Managing Director and Country Manager, John Deere India; and Mukul Varshney, Director – Corporate Affairs, Media, PR and Communications for John Deere in India, Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific addressed the media.

Over its 25 years, John Deere has shown commitment to investment in manufacturing and product development in India, including –

• Tractor manufacturing locations in Pune (Maharashtra) and Dewas (Madhya Pradesh).
• Electronics system manufacturing in Pune (Maharashtra).
• India Engineering Centre in Pune (Maharashtra).
• Enterprise Technology Centre in Pune (Maharashtra).
• Global IT Centre in Pune (Maharashtra) and Bengaluru (Karnataka).
• Parts Distribution Centre in Nagpur (Maharashtra) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh).
• John Deere Finance in Pune (Maharashtra). 
• 1,200 touch points under 580 channel partners across the country, 22 branch offices and four zonal training centres. 
• Wirtgen Group, a John Deere Company Pune (Maharashtra).

John Deere has continued to innovate, invest and leverage manufacturing, talent and India’s supply chain through these 25 years to serve farmers in India and around the world – all designed to enhance farm productivity through technologically-advanced products and services. The latest example is the 5M series tractor and a production system approach that offers higher horsepower, advanced features and precision technology aimed to reduce the cost of farming operations and enhance income levels. The introduction of John Deere’s products and solutions are recent examples of the company’s efforts to provide farmers a wide range of technologically-superior farm solutions including tractors, harvesters and hi-tech implements.

Jagtap asserted that John Deere is leading the way to bring technologies to tractors and farm equipment that lower the overall cost of farm operations by reducing the number of operations needed in the field and efficient use of fertilisers and chemicals. These are essential for additionally meeting sustainability goals and reduced emissions – both of which help meet Deere’s strategic ambitions to protect the environment. For instance, he said that the introduction of technologies such as a front PTO (power takeoff) and specially designed front farm implements have helped reduce the cost of some operations by more than 25 percent while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Varshney said, “John Deere is the world’s leading manufacturer of agriculture and turf equipment, products and solutions also serving the construction and forestry industry. It is uniquely positioned to deliver both economic and sustainable value for our customers through advanced technology and solutions. Our 25-year journey in India has witnessed a transformation in Indian agriculture as well. At John Deere, we are truly living our higher purpose – We run so life can leap forward.

Jagtap cited, “Our journey in India began 25 years ago with the introduction of advanced product features such as power steering, oil immersed disk brakes, planetary reduction, force feed lubrication, high torque machines and value-add technologies, such as front PTO, perma clutch, AutoTrac, PowrReverser and JDLink. John Deere continues to innovate and introduce these advanced features in India which are now becoming industry standard. The farmers ’outlook is progressive, and they adopt technologies when they see value and cost benefits.”

Jagtap went on to share that Deere remains committed to support the food security mission of the country as well as the changing dietary requirements of the growing populations. He additionally noted that Deere is proud to lead India from subsistence farming to agri-entrepreneurship. “Our efforts for a wholistic farm solution and inclusion of women farmers in the farm mechanisation journey have been immensely valued by our customers. We see pride in their families as we help women farmers skill themselves and become economically independent,” he said.

John Deere also provides financial solutions for wholesale as well as retail customers. For any country, agriculture is vital for its economic stability, inclusive growth and food security. Jagtap mentioned that when it comes to agriculture, there are some challenges like soil erosion, limited energy resources and growing population. He averred, “We need to reduce the impact on the environment while carrying out agriculture. When we bring in a technology or product or solution, we need to take care of the soil and the environment.”

Adding to this, Garg said, “We continue to make technologies that also improve the comfort and convenience of the farmers. The need of an equipment varies according to the geography; we provide the same as per the climate of a place and the financial solutions. Many of the technologies introduced way back in 2000 have become technology norms over time.”

Ashok Leyland, a leading commercial vehicle manufacturer, has inaugurated its 22nd Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) dealership in Uttar Pradesh. The new 3S facility located in Chunar, Mirzapur will further strengthen the company’s presence in North India.

The company’s LCV portfolio includes Saathi, Dost, Bada Dost, Partner and MiTR targeted for a wide range of customers and applications.

Viplav Shah, Head – LCV Business, Ashok Leyland, said, “Recognising immense potential of Uttar Pradesh as a key market for us, we are thrilled to strengthen our presence in the region. Our new dealership in Chunar (Mirzapur) would go a long way in reinforcing our presence in the state. The phenomenal success of our ‘Dost’, ‘Bada Dost,’ and the new ‘Saathi’ range underscores the robustness of our products - thanks to their best-in-class mileage, superior performance, and higher payloads. We take immense pride in our exceptional service retention levels, with nearly 70% of our customers returning to our dealer workshops even beyond the warranty period. This new dealership marks yet another milestone in our journey to provide the best possible experience to our valued customers.”

Ashok Leyland, one of the country’s leading commercial vehicle manufacturers, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Nagaland Rural Bank for a strategic vehicle financing partnership. The partnership will see Ashok Leyland get access to customised financial solutions from Nagaland Rural Bank.

The MoU was signed by C Neelakantan, Head -Treasury and Direct Taxation, Ashok Leyland and Velayutham Sadhasivam, Chairman, Nagaland Rural Bank.

Balaji K M, CFO, Ashok Leyland, said, “At Ashok Leyland, we are dedicated to continuously enhancing customer experience and delivering greater value in our products and services. Nagaland Rural Bank is a regional rural bank with a strong presence in the state. With this partnership in place, our customers in the region will have access to comprehensive financing solutions with specially curated easy repayment plans”.

Sanjeev Kumar, President – MHCV, Ashok Leyland, said, “Ashok Leyland is looking forward to collaborating with Nagaland Rural Bank to offer our customers highly attractive financing solutions. This strategic partnership not only strengthens our market presence but also reinforces our commitment to innovation and customer success. With cutting-edge technology and industry-leading total cost of ownership, our products are designed to drive profitability and value for our customers. We remain steadfast in our commitment to deliver exceptional customer experience and build long lasting relationships.”

Velayutham Sadhasivam added, “Nagaland Rural Bank is delighted to collaborate with Ashok Leyland to provide seamless vehicle financing solutions. This partnership underscores our commitment to meeting the diverse financial needs of commercial vehicle customers across the state. We are confident that this alliance will help us expand our reach and offer customized financing options, fostering the growth of businesses in the commercial vehicle sector.”

Eicher Trucks & Buses, a business unit of VE Commercial Vehicles, has announced that it successfully hosted the second Woman Transporters Delegation at its Bhopal plant.

The event saw women leaders in the transport industry exchange ideas, share insights and explore new business opportunities. The discussion revolved around a wide range of topics such as digitisation, alternative fuels and intelligent mobility solutions that provide challenges and opportunities.

The women leaders were given an exclusive tour of Eicher’s Bhopal plant, an interactive session with VECV Executive Management and test drive experience.

Vinod Aggarwal, MD & CEO, VECV, said, “At Eicher Trucks and Buses, we firmly believe that inclusivity and diversity strengthen businesses and drives growth. Technology and digital solutions are transforming the industry, making businesses smarter and more efficient. While we are taking steps to improve diversity and inclusion internally through initiatives like an all-woman assembly line in Bhopal, we thank you for working with us to foster innovative approaches in the commercial vehicle industry."

Bhagwan K Bindiganavile, EVP, Strategic Planning, Brand & Communications, VECV, added, “The Indian CV industry is transforming rapidly, guided by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Seven Cs for mobility solutions: Common, Connected, Convenient, Congestion-free, Charged, Clean and Cutting-edge. We appreciated the women leaders focus on balancing the new technologies making logistics more efficient with a people-first approach.”

SS Gill, Chief Commercial Officer, VECV; B Srinivas, COO, Eicher Trucks and Buses; Ramesh Rajagopalan, EVP, Customer Service, Retail Excellence and Network Development and Vimal Mulchandani, EVP- Manufacturing Operation, Eicher Trucks & Buses & Volvo Buses also engaged with the women transporters delegation.

Construction and off-road equipment major SANY has launched what it claims is India's first hybrid off-highway 100-tonne mining dump truck – the SKT130S – with localised manufacturing at its Pune factory.

The truck operates with a 925 kW engine, which generates 3200 Nm of torque, 100-tonne payload capacity and a 61 CuM heaped body capacity, designed for mining applications.

Deepak Garg, Vice-Chairman and MD, SANY India and South Asia, said, “The introduction of the SKT130S is a remarkable achievement in our journey towards driving innovation and self-reliance in India’s mining sector. As India’s first 100-tonne diesel-electric hybrid mining truck, the SKT130S demonstrates SANY India’s commitment to delivering high-performance, efficient and safe solutions to meet the evolving demands of the industry. Our focus on localisation not only supports India’s manufacturing vision but also ensures that we bring cutting-edge technology to enhance productivity in mining operations.”

The SKT130S is expected to achieve fuel savings of 20-25 percent compared to conventional mining trucks. A regenerative braking system enables the high-voltage battery to charge during downhill operation.

The truck includes an intelligent control module for operation management and a 10-inch central control screen for navigation and safety. The cabin meets FOPS/ROPS certification standards, aligning with global safety regulations.