Motoring Trends May/June 2025

The Indian Auto Industry looks well poised to benefit from the Free Trade Agreement signed with the UK in terms of automobiles as well as components. Automakers like Tata Motors come to mind as it has the Land Rover and Jaguar brands under its wings. Jaguar and Land Rover greenfield plant near Panapakkam in Ranipet district of Tamil Nadu is expected to start operation later this year or in early 2026 to manufacture electric as well as ICE vehicles. The state of Tamil Nadu along with Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka has come up with an automotive infrastructure that is of high quality, modern and efficient. This is reflected in the per capita GDP of each state, which is far higher than some of the other states in the country. Supporting brands like Daimler, Toyota, Kia, Hyundai, Yamaha, Honda among others, South India has truly emerged as the automotive manufacturing base of the country more than any other region to be precise. This applies not only to automakers but also to automotive and other industrial suppliers. This issue of Motoring Trends takes a look at how the auto industry in South India is faring. It looks at various other issues touching the auto industry in India and the world over – the tariffs being the most talked about. This issue also takes stock of the second edition of Future Mobility Conference that the publishing company of the brand is organising in Delhi on 24 June 2025 at the Le Meridien Hotel.