ZEISS Industrial Quality Solutions recently hosted its landmark ZEISS Quality Innovation Worldwide forums in New Delhi and Pune. These events, integral to a global series originating from the flagship summit in Berlin, positioned India as a central architect in the evolving narrative of worldwide metrology. Focused squarely on ‘The Future of Metrology’, the gatherings engaged key manufacturing sectors – from automotive and electric mobility to medical technology and electronics – on overcoming modern precision and quality challenges.

A core insight emphasised metrology's transformative shift from merely assessing outcomes to proactively predicting performance. This evolution empowers manufacturers to accelerate innovation while adhering to rigorous quality standards. The forums established a pioneering national platform, merging strategic dialogue with exhibits of advanced technology. Attendees engaged with cutting-edge innovations across optical, tactile and X-ray measurement, explored connected digital ecosystems like ZEISS PiWeb and witnessed AI-driven and automated inspection solutions aligned with smart industry principles. Practical, hands-on demonstrations bridged these technologies with real-world production scenarios.

Notably, the India editions amplified the voice of local industry, with leading manufacturers detailing their own journeys in quality transformation. They shared experiences in building resilient quality cultures, pioneering process innovation and implementing best practices in complex environments. This highlighted a collaborative model for progress, where the future of Indian metrology is being jointly shaped by global technology leaders and domestic industrial innovation.

By selecting two of India’s premier industrial hubs, ZEISS reinforced its deep commitment to the nation's manufacturing ascent. The initiative frames India not merely as a growth market but as a vital contributor to global manufacturing excellence. Ultimately, the events united industry leaders and quality champions to collectively define how predictive intelligence and precision will forge the next decade of manufacturing.

Aveen Padmaprabha, Head of Industrial Quality Solutions, ZEISS India, said, “As manufacturing continues to transform, the expectations from metrology are expanding rapidly – from speed and accuracy to data-driven decision-making. ZEISS Quality Innovation Worldwide in India, which witnessed a humbling participation of 350+ individuals from the manufacturing fraternity, demonstrated how advanced metrology solutions can empower the industry to achieve higher productivity and quality consistency. Our focus remains on enabling our customers with future-ready technologies and deep application expertise.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The company is building a 1,000-acre greenfield complex in Nagpur to unlock SUV and tractor capacity as demand across segments begins to outpace supply at its existing plants. The facility will anchor a phased expansion plan even as the company revises tractor growth outlook sharply higher and races to ease production bottlenecks.

Mahindra and Mahindra’s upcoming greenfield complex at Nagpur will be spread across more than 1,000 acres and anchor the automaker’s next phase of capacity expansion with room for 500,000 SUVs and 100,000 tractors annually in a modular, phased build-out starting 2027-28.

The plant, which will also house a dedicated tractor facility within the same campus, is being designed to flex production between new-generation SUVs from Mahindra’s upcoming platforms and rising tractor volumes as the company prepares for sustained demand across segments.

“The Nagpur project gives us the flexibility to scale in a modular way across both SUVs and tractors without overcommitting capacity on day one,” said Chief Executive Officer, Auto and Farm Sector, Rajesh Jejurikar.

The expansion comes amid visible supply constraints at existing facilities in Chakan and Nashik, where strong demand for refreshed models such as the 3XO, Bolero range, Scorpio N and the newly introduced electric SUVs has pushed plants close to their limits.

Mahindra expects de-bottlenecking efforts to unlock an additional 3,000-5,000 units a month in internal combustion models by August-September, alongside 3,000-4,000 units of added EV capacity through the year.

The company said dealer inventory currently stands at 15–20 days, well below its preferred 25–30 day range, reflecting tight supply rather than demand weakness.

Demand momentum has also prompted Mahindra to sharply revise its tractor industry outlook. What was earlier guided as “low double-digit” growth for the year is now expected to land in the 22–24 percent range.

“We had underestimated the strength of the tractor industry. It is likely to be almost twice of what we had originally guided,” Jejurikar said.

On the passenger vehicle side, Mahindra stopped short of offering formal guidance for the next quarter or fiscal year but indicated that industry demand remains robust, with supply rather than orders becoming the limiting factor.

“I think everyone is going to be constrained by capacity because demand right now is stronger than the way supply is able to ramp up,” Jejurikar added.

The automaker is also seeing strong traction for its latest SUV launches. The XUV 7XO is witnessing higher bookings for top-end variants, continuing a trend seen in the XUV700, while the newly introduced electric SUV 9S is drawing customers seeking a more conventional seven-seat SUV format. Diesel continues to account for 70–75 percent of demand for the 7XO.

Jejurikar said there will be no new EV launches in calendar 2026 beyond the already introduced models, with capital expenditure tracking previously announced plans of INR 270 billion over three years, including INR 120 billion earmarked for new electric vehicle platforms.

On the financial side, Mahindra’s standalone results reflected a INR 3.75 billion loss from investments in subsidiaries, associates and joint ventures, up fourfold year-on-year. This was primarily due to impairments in Mahindra’s Japanese arm, which is undergoing restructuring, and Arkun Foundry in Turkey, hit by hyper-inflationary conditions.

“The impairment is largely related to the restructuring of our Japan operations and the impact of hyper-inflation in Turkey on Arkun Foundry,” said Group Chief Financial Officer Amarjyoti Barua.

Jejurikar also pointed to external factors driving cost pressures, particularly rising precious metal prices and currency movements, prompting a 1 percent price increase in the auto portfolio.

“Precious metals and the impact of the dollar are the two key areas where we are seeing tangible increases,” Barua said.

Mahindra’s leadership also sees an opportunity emerging from recent trade agreements. While dismissing concerns that European imports could undercut domestic manufacturing, the company believes the new framework opens a pathway for higher exports of India-made vehicles to Europe at zero duty over time.

“There is an opportunity for us to sell meaningfully more into Europe over time at zero duty, and that is something we will take advantage of,” said Jejurikar.

Group Chief Executive Officer Dr Anish Shah added that broader policy changes, such as GST rate cuts, could have a sustained demand impact beyond immediate price benefits.

“A lower upfront cost for customers will continue to stimulate upgrades and first-time purchases over the longer term,” Dr Shah said.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) has released the retail sales data for January 2026, which saw the overall industry report a healthy 17.61 percent growth over January 2025.

Last month, a total of 2.72 million vehicles were sold, as compared to 2.31 million vehicles a year ago, and 2.02 million in December 2025. Barring construction equipment (-21.09 percent YoY), all segments posted a healthy growth.

Two-wheeler sales in the country grew by 20.82 percent YoY to 1.85 million units, which saw rural markets contributed 56 percent of this volume, while urban demand grew by 22.19 percent, indicating a recovery beyond festive periods. The passenger vehicle sales at 513,475 units, up 7.22 percent YoY was primarily driven by rural demand at 14.43 percent, as compared to 2.75 percent growth witnessed in the urban segment.

Commercial Vehicles segment grew 15.07 percent to 107,486 units, which saw Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) grow by 14.94 percent YoY and Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCV) by 14.61 percent YoY, driven by replacement demand and infrastructure projects.

C S Vigneshwar, President, FADA, said, “January’26 has delivered a strong, broad-based start to the calendar year, with overall vehicle retail at 27,22,558 units, registering 17.61 percent YoY. The growth was powered by continued post-GST momentum, healthy rural cashflows on the back of harvest and weddings and sustained demand visibility across mobility and freight.”

Growth to remain positive

The outlook for February 2026 remains positive, with 72.56 percent of dealers expecting continued growth. Market sentiment is supported by the recent Budget’s focus on infrastructure and agriculture, alongside stable interest rates.

For the February-April period, 79.70 percent of dealers anticipate growth. Two-wheeler demand is expected to be sustained by wedding season purchases and EV adoption, while commercial vehicle sales are predicted to benefit from financial year-end buying and infrastructure activity. Potential constraints include model-specific supply shortages and possible disruptions related to upcoming elections in select states.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) held the 20th Styling & Design Conclave and the 18th Automotive Design Challenge (ADC) in Goa on the theme of ‘Collaborative Creativity: Building India’s Mobility Design Ecosystem’.

The event gathered designers, industry experts and academics to discuss vehicle aesthetics, form and consumer expectations. During the event, SIAM launched a white paper titled ‘Evolution of Automotive Design in India.’

The conclave focused on the necessity of building design capabilities through partnerships between the automotive industry and academic institutions.

The 18th edition of the ADC featured 53 students from various design colleges. Participants presented concepts focused on future mobility needs, providing a platform for entry-level designers to showcase innovation in vehicle styling.

Speakers across two sessions addressed the integration of aesthetics with functionality, material innovation and sustainability. Discussions highlighted the shift toward design-led differentiation in the Indian market.

Prashant K Banerjee, Executive Director, SIAM, said, “Meaningful mobility solutions emerge from the confluence of sustainability, desirability, and affordability. These three essential pillars that must work together to address local needs while aligning with evolving environmental priorities.”

G Sathiyaseelan, Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group and Design Director, Ashok Leyland, said, “Understanding user experience must go beyond acknowledging problem areas and be rooted in empathy and a solution-driven mindset, with a clear focus on enabling gender-sensitive transportation and strengthening last-mile connectivity to create truly inclusive mobility solutions.”

Andreas Kurbos, Founder & CEO, StudioKurbos, added, “As design continues to evolve globally, India’s story can achieve stronger resonance by drawing from its rich culture and legacy. With design tools becoming increasingly democratised, identity becomes a powerful differentiator, making it essential to deeply understand audiences and co-create distinctive user experiences, while strengthening design education to shape the future of design.”

Saurabh Singh, Co-Chairman, SIAM Styling & Design Group and Senior VP, Maruti Suzuki India, added, “Shaping India through thought-provoking and emotionally engaging dialogue is essential to spark deeper conversations and meaningful action, and the country must set its sights on a bolder, more ambitious vision for its automotive future.”

The sessions included contributions from design leads at Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Stellantis, Royal Enfield, Greaves Electric Mobility and Kiska. Topics included the use of bio-sourced polymers, digital modelling and the development of next-generation styling for electric vehicles.

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!

Kia Connect has named Olivier Pascal as President and Chief Executive Officer with effect from 1 January 2026. He brings over 15 years of automotive industry expertise to the position, having most recently acted as General Manager of Connected Cars, where he led European initiatives for connected vehicle experiences and data development. His career includes leadership across engineering, sales, marketing and technology functions at various dealership, regional and global levels. In his new capacity, Pascal will oversee the company’s connectivity, digital, data and charging strategies, emphasising customer experience, innovation and sustainable growth throughout Europe.

This leadership transition sees Marc Hedrich and Pablo Martínez Masip departing from their positions as President & CEO and COO, respectively. During their tenure, they were instrumental in driving strategic and operational performance across European markets. Hedrich moves to the role of President for Kia France, while Martínez Masip continues as Vice President of Product and Marketing at Kia Europe.

Kia Connect is dedicated to enhancing the customer journey through a fully integrated digital ecosystem, which now supports nearly two million users. The platform combines connected car services, digital mobility solutions and charging infrastructure, aligning with Kia’s broader shift towards software-defined and electrified mobility. Central to this ecosystem is the Kia App, launched last May, which consolidates connectivity, charging and ownership services into one interface. The app provides features such as remote status checks, vehicle diagnostics and charging control, with regular over-the-air updates introducing continual improvements informed by user feedback.

A recent December update introduced a 3D visualisation feature for the EV9 model, allowing drivers to view an accurate digital representation of their own vehicle’s configuration, including exterior colour and wheel design. This addition aims to create a more intuitive and tangible connection between the driver and their car through the app. Following an evaluation period, Kia intends to extend this 3D visualisation to other electric vehicle models in 2026.

Pascal said, “Kia Connect’s mission is to make every driving and charging journey smarter, safer, more convenient and more personal. In 2026, we will deliver tangible value for our B2C and B2B customers and partners, higher-quality features, a truly personalised digital experience, scalable B2B services and a robust charging solution. By combining innovation, unique customer experiences, responsible data use and operational rigour, we will build sustainable growth and a platform that supports Kia brand differentiation and business success in Europe.”

Comments (0)

ADD COMMENT

Link Copied!