Sonalika Tractors, India's leading tractor export brand, achieved a new record for domestic year-to-date (YTD) sales in FY25, selling 63,136 tractors. This includes a sevenfold increase above industry performance and highlights the brand's ongoing competence in bringing farmer-centric innovative agricultural solutions to the world's largest tractor market.

Sonalika's has become a household name for over 1.7 million farmer households with its agility and quickness in delivering tailored tractors that assure plentiful harvests for farmers. The brand's dedication to increasing farm mechanisation aligns with the Central Government's recent push to leverage technology to develop novel agricultural solutions that boost production. Sonalika has already begun its annual 'Sonalika Heavy Duty Dhamaka' promotion to assist farmers in adopting cutting-edge farm technology at optimal rates and celebrating success throughout all seasons.

Raman Mittal, Joint Managing Director, International Tractors Limited, said, “Every farmer’s demand is unique and therefore, a distinctive approach of developing customised farm solutions is essential and already deeply inscribed in our DNA. Our unique proposition for the tractor industry has enabled us to record our highest ever domestic YTD sales of 63,136 tractors and continuously gain market share in India. This includes a staggering 7X growth over industry performance and validates that adopting optimised farm technologies in tractors is fast taking centre stage in the farming community. The successful decade completion of ‘Make-in-India’ initiative has brought in the world focus on quality manufacturing in India, and we have been a proud home-grown brand to have been leading India’s growth story in tractors as No. 1 tractor export brand. The recent push of the Central Government towards adoption of technology in agriculture is in line with Sonalika's commitment to increase productivity powered by farm mechanisation. We are more than ready to make sure that farmers remain equipped with the best heavy-duty tractors and will continue with our innovative journey.”

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.