The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex body representing the country’s leading automobile manufacturers, hosted the 3rd International Conference on Sustainable Circularity (ICSC) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on the sidelines of Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. Theme ‘Nature Positive Recycling – Systemic Transformation to Automotive Circular Economy in India’, the conference emphasised the need for systemic transformation through regulatory frameworks, technological advancements and collaborative efforts across stakeholders, underscoring India’s potential to lead global efforts in sustainable automotive practices.

Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India, who was the Chief Guest during the inaugural session of the conference, launched the SIAM Strategy Paper ‘Towards Circular Future in the Indian Automobile Industry: Integrating EPR Regime in Waste Stream Regulations’ and said, "As the automotive industry observes a notable growth, it is imperative to reflect on our environmental obligations. Nature, with its innate capacity for regeneration, serves as an exemplar for our operational strategies. Our focus extends beyond mere waste management to stimulating economic development, diminishing emissions and cultivating societal advancements through the promotion of green jobs. Initiatives such as the Vehicle Scrappage Policy 2021 and the endorsement of electric vehicles manifest our commitment to sustainable practices. As we navigate towards a circular economy, our actions must be guided by a steadfast dedication to environmental integrity and ecological stewardship. SIAM has done an admirable job of initiating discussions on circularity which showcases its commitment to the growth of the automotive sector and promoting India’s green goals."

Session One, themed ‘Impact of EPR on ELV Recycling and Compliance: New Paradigm of Material Circulatory’, was graced by Guests of Honour Arvind Kumar Nautiyal, Joint Secretary, Government of India and Member Secretary, CAQM, and Mahmood Ahmed, Additional Secretary, MoRTH. The session explored policy interventions, international practices and innovations required for scaling up ELV recycling. The session also saw the launch of an approach paper on ‘Automotive Circularity in India’. The session witnessed discourses by the guests of honour as well as Sanjay Mehta, President, MRAI; Timo Unger, Chairperson – Working Group on Materials & Substances, ACEA; Vikram Kasbekar, ED and CTO, Hero MotoCorp and M S Anandkumar, Chair, SIAM Recycling & Material Group and SGM, TVS Motor Company.

Rajendra M Petkar, President and CTO, Tata Motors Ltd and Chairperson, SIAM Sustainable Mobility Group, chaired the Session Two. Themed ‘Regulatory & Policy Challenges and Innovating Solutions in the ELV Recycling Ecosystem’, the session deliberated on regulatory and policy challenges the ELV recycling ecosystem encounters along with possible solutions and the necessity of innovation. The session included presentations by R K Goyal, Director Saarloha Advanced Materials and Managing Director, Kalyani Steel, on ‘Sustainable Circularity for Green Steel Manufacturing in India’; Sonal Choithani, Vice President and Head of Market Development, Vedanta, on ‘Metals & Mobility: Building A Greener Future for Transportation’; Sosho Kitajima, Chairman, Japan Automobile Recycling Alliance (JARA), on ‘ELV management landscape in Japan’; R Mukhopadhyay, Director (R&D) J K Tyres, on ‘Sustainable Circularity – Challenges & Opportunities for Tyre & Auto Rubber Components Industry’; ALN Rao, Head of Electronics Recycling, Recykal, on ‘Innovative Tech in Automotive Circularity’; David Nolan, Executive Director, Auto Recycler Association of Australia, on ‘Automotive Circularity landscape in Australia’; Sarvesh Tomar, General Manager, BPCL, on ‘Challenges and Opportunities in Used Oil Recycling in India: Paving the path to Sustainability’ and Prabhjot Sodhi, Sr Programme Director, CEE, on ‘Policy interventions as catalysts for sustainable automotive circularity’.

Session Three, carrying the theme ‘Harnessing Cutting-edge Technologies and Business Models to Revolutionise ELV Recycling’, was addressed by Guest of Honor Sujit Kumar Bajpayee, Member, Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), and moderated by Ashim Sharma, Senior Partner, NRI Consulting & Solutions. Other eminent personalities who shared their opinion in the session included Vinod Babu, Director, CPCB; Masaru Akaishi, Managing Director, Maruti Suzuki Toyotsu India Pvt Ltd; Kartick Nagpal, President, Rosmerta; Nitin Chitkara, CEO, Meta Material Circular Markets (MMCM); Prabhakar Bhangare, CEO, Global PCCS and Anant Bhargava, IFP Petro.

Session Four revolved around the theme ‘Challenges and Way forward for Closing the Loop on Automotive Material and Components’. The session was graced by Guest of Honour Ved Prakash Mishra, Joint Secretary – HSM, MoEFCC, Government of India, and chaired by Kiran Sarkar, Co-Chairperson, SIAM Recycling and Material Groups and Head – Sustainability, Mahindra & Mahindra. Apart from a thematic presentation by Likith Koundinya, Consulting Specialist, S&P Global, the session also saw panel discussions by Anand Kumar, Director, CPCB; Sumit Agrawal, Director, BigMint Technologies Pvt Ltd (SteelMint); Dr Rashi Gupta, Founder & MD, Vision Mechatronics and V Manjunath, Regional Standards Manager – South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa, at UL Standards & Engagement Inc., (ULSE).

Tata Motors Group Chief Financial Officer PB Balaji outlined a bullish roadmap for the company’s growth trajectory, citing strong performance recovery, a vibrant product pipeline and a sharp focus on electric mobility and international market expansion.

Balaji struck an optimistic note on Tata Motors' future, calling out sustained momentum across all three verticals – Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), Tata Commercial Vehicles and Tata Passenger Vehicles (PV).

"We are entering FY26 with a strong balance sheet and a clear growth agenda across all businesses,” Balaji said, underscoring that the Group is now structurally and strategically aligned for the next phase of expansion.

He emphasised that Tata Motors’ growth will be ‘product-led,’ particularly in the passenger vehicle segment. New launches – especially in the SUV and EV space – have been pivotal in reinforcing Tata’s market positioning.

In the commercial vehicles segment, Tata is banking on market recovery and improved fleet utilisation. “The freight cycle is showing signs of improvement, and we expect to benefit as replacement demand kicks in,” he noted.

On electric vehicles, Balaji reaffirmed Tata’s dominant stance in the Indian EV market and outlined plans to extend its lead. “The EV strategy is working. We’ve proven the thesis. The next steps will be about scale and ecosystem development,” he said. He highlighted Tata’s ambition to transition from simply selling EVs to enabling an entire EV ecosystem – touching on charging infrastructure, localisation of components and battery recycling as critical next steps.

JLR's transformation was another highlight of Balaji’s outlook. The British marque has returned to healthy margins and is now positioned to scale profitably, thanks to a focused approach on premiumisation, disciplined capital allocation and electric architecture development. “JLR has turned a corner—it’s about consolidating gains and investing in future-ready platforms,” he stated.

In addition, Tata Motors is eyeing growth outside India, particularly in the ASEAN and African regions. “We’ll continue to invest in markets where we see sustainable long-term potential,” he said.

Balaji also stressed Tata Motors' disciplined capital deployment approach, indicating that future investments would be ‘self-funded through strong cash flows.’ Debt reduction remains a high priority, even as CAPEX is strategically allocated.

Calling the next two years ‘defining’ for Tata Motors, Balaji summed up the strategy, “The next 24 months are defining for us as a group across the three businesses. We have tailwinds, we have the execution muscle and we are focused. Now is the time to accelerate.”

Financial Performance

Tata Motors reported record consolidated revenues of INR 4,396 billion for FY2025, marking a 1.3 percent YoY growth. However, net profit declined by 11.4 percent to INR 278 billion, impacted by margin pressures across key business segments.

Significantly, the Tata Motors Group turned net auto cash positive during the fiscal, closing FY2025 with a net cash balance of INRR 10 billion – a key milestone in the company's financial turnaround strategy.

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) recorded Q4 FY25 revenues of GBP 7.7 billion, a decline of 1.7 percent YoY.

In the domestic commercial vehicles (CV) segment, wholesale volumes stood at 99,600 units in Q4 FY25, down 4.8 percent YoY. Exports, however, surged 29.4 percent YoY to 5,900 units. Total CV revenue declined marginally by 0.5 percent YoY to INR 215 billion, mainly due to lower volumes. Nevertheless, the business delivered improved profitability, with EBITDA and EBIT margins rising to 12.2 percent (up 20 bps YoY) and 9.7 percent, respectively – driven by better realisations.

In the passenger vehicles (PV) segment, Q4 volumes were at 147,000 units, down 5.5 percent YoY. Revenue fell 13.1 percent YoY to INR 125 billion. The EBIT margin came in at 1.6 percent, impacted by both lower volumes and realisations. However, this was partially offset by cost optimisation measures and government incentives.

The company also highlighted profitability in its core and electric PV portfolios. The internal combustion engine (ICE) PV business delivered an EBITDA margin of 8.2 percent in Q4, while the electric vehicle (EV) business remained EBITDA positive at 6.5 percent.

Akio Toyoda, Chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC), has been honoured with the 2025 Industry Leadership Award by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Foundation. The recognition was presented at the 27th Annual SAE Foundation Celebration held in Pontiac, Michigan, an event that pays tribute to industry leaders whose careers have inspired future generations of innovators.

Toyoda was recognised for his visionary leadership and transformative impact on the global mobility landscape. Serving as President and CEO of TMC from 2009 to 2023, he played a pivotal role in steering the company through a dynamic period of technological evolution. As Chairman, he continues to champion innovation, sustainability, and the development of a future-ready workforce.

In honour of Toyoda’s recognition, Toyota Motor North America announced a USD 1 million donation to support SAE’s A World in Motion (AWIM) program. The initiative introduces students to STEM education through hands-on experiences that develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills essential for the mobility industry.

This contribution complements the efforts of the Toyota USA Foundation’s Driving Possibilities initiative, which aims to enhance STEM learning and career readiness in Pre-K through 12th-grade schools across the U.S. Together, the AWIM and Driving Possibilities programs will serve nearly 24,000 students and provide STEM education training to approximately 700 teachers in key communities.

“Toyoda’s passion for driving excellence extends beyond the automotive industry. His commitment to education and Toyota’s investment in STEM programs like AWIM will leave a lasting impact on students and future engineers,” said Jamie Ferguson, Executive Director of the SAE Foundation & STEM Learning.

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) today released its April 2025 vehicle retail data, revealing a moderate overall growth of 3 percent YoY.

The two-wheeler segment emerged as the primary growth driver, registering a 2.25 percent increase in retail sales compared to April 2024 and a significant 11.84 percent MoM growth. FADA attributes this positive momentum to strong rural demand. However, the sector continues to face headwinds in the form of high financing costs and the pricing impact of OBD-2B emission norms.

The tractor segment demonstrated robust growth, with a 7.5 percent increase in retail sales year-on-year. This strong performance likely reflects the positive sentiment stemming from a strong Rabi harvest, which typically boosts agricultural activity and consequently, tractor demand.

In contrast to the strong performance of two-wheelers and tractors, the passenger vehicle segment experienced a modest 1.55 percent YoY growth, while witnessing a slight dip of 0.19 percent on MoM basis. The auto retail body attributes that deep discounts are prevalent in the market and while the demand for SUVs remains strong, the entry-level segment continues to exhibit sluggishness. FADA also noted that the PV inventory levels are currently around 50 days, significantly higher than their advocated norm of 21 days.

The commercial vehicle segment faced a contraction, with retail sales declining by 1.05 percent YoY and 4.44 percent on MoM basis. FADA suggests that recent price hikes by OEMs and flat freight rates are negatively impacting sales. Within the CV segment, the Small Commercial Vehicle category saw weak demand, while the bus segment remains steady.

Looking ahead to May 2025, FADA anticipates a positive outlook, primarily driven by the strong conclusion of the Rabi harvest. The expectation of a normal monsoon further strengthens this positive sentiment, suggesting continued momentum in rural demand which could positively influence vehicle sales across various segments.

In a significant development, FADA has begun releasing fuel-wise vehicle retail market share data across all key categories. This new initiative aims to provide stakeholders with a granular understanding of evolving energy preferences and the impact of regulatory influences on India's automotive ecosystem.

C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA, said, “The new financial year began on a measured note as overall retails in April managed to grow by 3 percent YoY. All categories except CV closed in the green, with 2W, 3W, PV and Trac up 2.25 percent, 24.5 percent, 1.5 percent and 7.5 percent respectively, while CVs declined by 1 percent. With the tariff war paused, stock markets staged a sharp pullback – alleviating investor concerns – and customers thus leveraged Chaitra Navratri, Akshay Tritiya, Bengali New Year, Baisakhi and Vishu to complete purchases, helping April end on a positive note.”

The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, has posthumously conferred Padma Vibhushan, one of the highest civilian awards, to Late Osamu Suzuki, Former Chairman, Suzuki Motor Corporation and Former Director & Honorary Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India, in a formal conferment ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan in New Delhi on 28 April 2025.

The Padma Vibushan was conferred to Osamu Suzuki for his outstanding contribution in the field of trade and industry. The award was accepted by Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director and President, Suzuki Motor Corporation on behalf of his late father.

Toshihiro Suzuki, said, “My sincere gratitude to the Honourable President of India and the Government of India for awarding the prestigious Padma Vibhushan to my father, Osamu Suzuki, Former Chairman, Suzuki Motor Corporation. I have just received this high-level award on his behalf, and I am deeply honoured. I believe he is, from heaven, looking back fondly on the 45 years he spent with India, his second home.”

“This award goes not only to my father, but also to all the people who have worked at Suzuki, Maruti Suzuki and all our business partners, who have supported us in this journey. My father must be feeling very proud today. I am also feeling extremely proud to receive this award. All the employees at Suzuki and Maruti Suzuki and our business partners must be feeling proud of this recognition. This award also expresses thanks to the ‘love of Indian people towards Suzuki’. This award belongs to all of you.”

“We, at Team Suzuki, will carry forward the commitment of Osamu Suzuki with the same passion to bring inclusive and sustainable mobility solutions that will be loved by the people of India,” he added.

Osamu Suzuki played a key role in driving the Indian automotive industry, especially the passenger vehicle segment. Under his leadership, Maruti Suzuki began manufacturing passenger vehicles with around 100,000 units per annum capacity in 1983.

The company is now one of the largest passenger vehicle manufacturers not just in India, but globally.  It was last year that the company reached a cumulative production milestone of 30 million units, an annual production of 2 million units and exporting over 3 million units cumulatively today.