Eicher Motors Limited (EML) – the listed parent of Royal Enfield apart from being a partner in Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a joint venture commercial vehicle unit with Volvo – has reported its best ever Q2 FY2024-25 with a revenue of INR 42.63 billion from operations. It was INR 41.15 billion in the corresponding period of FY2023-24.  
The EBITDA during the respective period was INR 10.88 million as compared to INR 10.87 million in the corresponding quarter last fiscal. Profit After Tax was INR 11 billion, an increase of 8.3 percent as compared to INR 10.16 billion during the same period last year. 
During the quarter, Eicher Group company Royal Enfield recorded sales of 2,25,317 motorcycles as compared to 2,29,496 motorcycles sold during the same period in FY2023-24. 
For Q2 FY 2024-25, VECV’s revenue from operations was INR 55.38 billion, up by 8.0 percent over the previous year’s revenue of INR 51.26 billion.  EBITDA for the second quarter was INR 3.95 billion as compared to INR 4.02 billion last year. 
Profit After Tax (PAT) stood at INR 2.09 billion as against INR 1.87 billion last year. VECV recorded sales of 20,774 vehicles in the second quarter over 19,551 vehicles last year. 
Siddhartha Lal, Managing Director, Eicher Motors Ltd, mentioned, “During this quarter, we have continued to sustain the momentum both at Royal Enfield and VECV. At EICMA, earlier this month, we launched two motorcycles on our 650-Twin platform; the Bear 650, and the Classic 650. In addition to this, Royal Enfield marked its foray into electric mobility with a new EV brand - the Flying Flea. With an intent to disrupt and grow the electric motorcycle segment, we are approaching it with the same singularity, focus and unconventionality with which we have grown and energized the global mid-size segment over the last several years. Under the Flying Flea we will have a portfolio of differentiated electric motorcycles for city+ mobility. On the commercial vehicle front, VE Commercial Vehicles delivered its best Q2 ever, with strengthened market shares in truck segments. This is commendable against the backdrop of lower industry volumes as compared to Q2 of last year.”
B. Govindarajan, CEO, Royal Enfield and Whole-time Director of EML, said, "This quarter we launched two stellar motorcycles - the Guerrilla 450 and the 2024 Classic 350 in an all-new avatar and response to both these motorcycles has been remarkable. We have also made significant progress on expanding and strengthening our footprint outside India as we debuted the brand in Bangladesh with our new flagship store in Dhaka, and a manufacturing and assembly unit in the country. We are also setting up a second CKD in Brazil early next year. Basis the strong legwork that we put in during Q2 this year, we were able to achieve a very special milestone for Royal Enfield in terms of our festive sales performance in October. We outperformed all our previous monthly sales performance and achieved over 1,00,000 sales in a single month. These initiatives underscore our commitment to our long-term strategic goals and to continue delivering pure motorcycling experiences across the globe.” 
Speaking on the performance, Vinod Aggarwal, MD and CEO, VECV, said, “VECV delivered its highest ever second quarter sales during Q2 FY25 growing 6.2 percent over Q2 FY24 and attaining leadership in the Light and Medium Duty (LMD) segment during the quarter. This growth was against a drop in CV industry volumes of 10.8 percent in the same period and stands as a testament to our broad product range backed by fast-expanding network coverage focused on delivering uptime to customers. Margins remained under pressure in a competitive market as we successfully continued to invest in growing our heavy-duty truck presence. We took another step in our sustainability journey, signing a MoU for deployment of 500 Eicher Pro 6055 LNG trucks.”
Royal Enfield forayed into the EV space by announcing the launch of its completely new electric vehicle brand, Flying Flea at EICMA show in Milan, Italy, recently. 
The debut featured two models – the Classic-styled Flying Flea C6 and the Scrambler-styled Flying Flea S6. 
The two-wheeler company also revisited its legacy with two new models on the 650 Twin platform – the Bear 650 (a robust scrambler, designed for riders who follow their instincts, featuring versatile capabilities to enhance the riding experience) and the Classic 650 powered by the celebrated 650 Twin engine for a ride that is both swift and elegant. 
Strengthening its global footprint, Royal Enfield, in n the SAARC region, commenced operations of its Manufacturing Unit (Category 2) and flagship showroom in Bangladesh. The facility will engage in local production and assembly of four flagship models – Hunter 350, Meteor 350, Classic 350 and Bullet 350 specifically for the Bangladesh market. 
Royal Enfield has announced its intent to set up a new CKD unit in Brazil by January 2025 which will help diversify its operations and expand its presence in the automotive market.

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Pune-headquartered automotive company Kinetic Engineering has inaugurated its new Robotic Chassis Line at its plant in Ahilya Nagar, Maharashtra. This upgrade is part of a series of changes to improve the company's production capabilities.

The new line uses robots for welding and has a specific cell for the Kinetic DX EV e-scooter frames, clamping auto fixtures. This system is designed to provide consistency and accuracy. The facility's metal body panel line has also been upgraded with hydraulic and mechanical presses, as well as spot welding equipment.

The company's paint shop now uses a seven-tank process that includes a CED coating and a metallic topcoat for better protection and finish. A new store for frame parts has also been set up with quality control systems to manage inventory and supply parts to the assembly line.

Ajinkya Firodia, MD, Kinetic Engineering, said, “The future of manufacturing belongs to companies that can seamlessly integrate automation, precision and sustainability into their processes. With the inauguration of our robotic chassis line, we are not just upgrading a facility, we are reimagining how manufacturing should be done in India. This move positions us to deliver unmatched consistency and reliability, while also setting a benchmark for how automation can transform traditional industries. At Kinetic, we see this as part of a larger shift where Indian manufacturing stands shoulder to shoulder with the best in the world.”

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Mukand Sumi Special Steel (MSSSL), a joint venture between India’s Bajaj Group and Japan’s Sumitomo Corporation, has announced a major expansion with the construction of a new integrated steelmaking facility in Kanakapura, Koppal, Karnataka.

The new greenfield plant will boost MSSSL's production capacity to 700,000 tonnes per annum, making it one of India's leading special steel manufacturers. The project, which is currently awaiting environmental clearances, involves a capital investment of INR 23.45 billion, or around EUR 234 million.

The expansion is driven by the increasing demand for high-quality special steel in India's industrial, energy, and automotive sectors, supported by government initiatives like Atmanirbhar Bharat and strong economic growth. Since its inception in 2018, MSSSL has produced approximately 350,000 tonnes of special steel products annually, primarily for the automobile and engineering markets.

The new facility is designed with sustainability as a priority, adopting a Zero Liquid, Solid and Gaseous Discharge Model. It aims to source over 95 percent of its energy from renewables and is a crucial step towards the company's goal of achieving net-zero steel manufacturing by 2050. Future phases will incorporate hydrogen-ready infrastructure and carbon capture technologies.

Vipul Mashruwala, President, MSSSL, said, "This expansion marks a significant milestone in our long-term growth roadmap. Guided by the forward-looking vision of our Chairman, Niraj Bajaj, we are investing in sustainable and future-ready technologies that will strengthen our position in the global special steel market."

He added that the new facility will allow them to ‘serve growing demand with greater efficiency, quality, and environmental responsibility.’

The new plant is expected to begin operations by early 2028 and will include iron making, steel making, and blooming mill facilities with an initial capacity of 0.35 million tonnes per annum. The investment will also focus on integrating automation and digital technologies to ensure consistent product quality and optimised energy use.

The expansion will enable MSSSL to focus on critical applications in the automotive, railway, oil and gas, energy and bearing steel sectors, aligning with India’s ‘Industry 4.0’ initiative.

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The Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi commemorated the start of production of Maruti Suzuki India’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV), the e Vitara, at Suzuki Motor Gujarat.

The model is being manufactured for both domestic sales and exports to over 100 countries, including markets in Europe and Japan. Maruti Suzuki India aims to produce 67,000 electric vehicles during FY2026. 

At the same event, PM Modi also marked the start of local manufacturing of lithium-ion battery cells and electrodes for strong hybrid vehicles at TDS Lithium-Ion Battery Gujarat, a fellow subsidiary of Maruti Suzuki India. This makes TDSG the first company in India to achieve electrode-level localisation of lithium-ion battery cells, used in hybrid systems of models such as the Grand Vitara.

Maruti Suzuki said the e Vitara, built on a dedicated EV platform, will be India’s largest mass-produced and exported electric vehicle. The first export batch will be shipped via Pipavav port to European countries including the UK, Germany, France, Italy and the Nordics.

Toshihiro Suzuki, Representative Director and President, Suzuki Motor Corporation, said, “We are deeply honoured that Hon’ble Prime Minister graced the occasion of commemoration of two historic events for the Indian automobile industry. His inspiration and visionary leadership have made this possible. His vision of Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat have been inspiring Suzuki to invest in India. These milestones are also a testimony to the enduring Indo-Japanese partnership, built on mutual trust and a shared vision for progress and a carbon neutral future. We will provide all products and technologies that will reduce oil consumption and imports and carbon emissions like battery electric vehicles, strong hybrid electric vehicles and vehicles powered by natural gas and biofuels.” 

Suzuki has further announced that the automaker will invest over INR 700 billion in India over the next five to six years.

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JSW Sarbloh Motors, a subsidiary of JSW Defence, a JSW Group company, has formed a strategic joint venture with Tomcar USA, a leading manufacturer of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), for the local production of the TX range ATVs in India.

This partnership marks the expansion for JSW Group in the mobility space, especially for indigenous manufacturing of tactical mobility platforms for Indian Armed Forces, Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), State Police units and strategic industrial sectors requiring ultra-durable extreme mobility off-road platforms.

As part of the understanding, JSW Sarbloh Motors will indigenise, manufacture, assemble and support the Tomcar TX range at its facility in Chandigarh with the first product expected to be rolled out by early-2026, with field trials and demonstrations planned for multiple defence and paramilitary agencies in the coming months.

Parth Jindal of the JSW Group, said, "We are delighted to announce this strategic joint venture between JSW Sarbloh Motors and Tomcar USA, which marks a significant milestone in our commitment to enhance India's defence capabilities. The TX platform is designed to meet the rigorous demands of our armed forces and security agencies whilst ensuring superior durability, flexibility, and safety. At JSW, we believe in combining cutting-edge technology with local production capabilities to foster a robust industrial ecosystem that strengthens our national security and creates job opportunities.”

Jaskirat Vladimir Singh Nagra, CEO and Founder Director, JSW Sarbloh Motors, said, "This joint venture is more than a business partnership, it is a strategic alignment of vision and purpose. We are committed to offering India’s defence and industrial sectors world-class mobility platforms with the ruggedness, modularity, and reliability they demand. We look forward to this exciting collaboration and are confident that our joint efforts will set new standards in tactical mobility within India and beyond."

Ram Zarchi, Founder & Principal, Tomcar USA, said, "We are honoured to announce our strategic joint venture with the JSW Group, marking a pivotal milestone in Tomcar’s entry into India. This partnership will allow us to deliver our proven platforms to the Indian Armed Forces, combining Tomcar’s decades of mission-grade engineering with JSW’s advanced manufacturing expertise and first-class leadership. Together, we will strengthen India’s tactical mobility capabilities while expanding Tomcar’s global footprint, particularly into right-hand-drive markets.”

Mark W. Farage, Interim CEO, Tomcar USA, added, “This joint venture is the culmination of a thoughtful and deliberate process aimed at creating a truly strategic partnership. We are excited to hopefully contribute to India’s adaptation to the demands of modern warfare by providing the proven, battle-tested Tomcar platform to the Indian Army. In addition, we see enormous opportunity to deploy the Tomcar into India’s diverse commercial sectors – from mining and timber, to search and rescue, border patrol, farming, and beyond. This partnership positions us to deliver unmatched performance, durability, and reliability to customers

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