Meta and the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) have released a joint whitepaper and playbook detailing how digital adoption is reshaping consumer behaviour and preferences in India’s automotive sector. The report underscores how digitalisation is driving sector growth and offers strategies for transforming OEMs and dealerships nationwide.

In 2023, Meta and FADA launched the ‘Move with Meta’ programme, designed to upskill over 3,000 auto dealers across India. The initiative equips dealers with tools to enhance their social media presence, digitise customer engagement, and optimise lead generation through Meta platforms.

The programme has surpassed expectations, achieving a 3 times increase in dealer digitisation and training over 6,000 dealers through hyperlocal efforts, doubling its initial target. Combined with pre-programme efforts, a total of 10,000 dealers have now been upskilled.

Results have been significant, with a 32 percent improvement in lead generation efficiency reported by participants. The initiative has also contributed to improved sales performance for leading automotive OEMs across India, marking a major milestone in the sector’s digital evolution.

FADA President C S Vigneshwar said, “At FADA, our vision is to empower dealers nationwide with the right digital tools and insights to stay ahead in a rapidly evolving market. Through our partnership with Meta, we’ve not only exceeded our commitment of upskilling 3,000 dealers—surpassing 6,000—but we’ve also seen a 3 times increase in digitisation and a marked 32 percent improvement in lead generation efficiency. This whitepaper underscores the potential of AI, Reels, and messaging platforms such as WhatsApp to strengthen customer relationships and drive growth. We look forward to scaling this collaboration further, bridging the digital gap in automotive retail, ensuring that dealers across India are future-ready, and remain agile in these dynamic times.”

Director Auto, CPG and D2C for Meta in India Saugato Bhowmik said, “Our platforms and products are well positioned to enable rapid and efficient digital customer acquisition and engagement for auto dealers in a hyperlocal manner. Over the last two years we’ve upskilled nearly 10,000 dealers along with FADA to digitize their outreach and experiences through our unique hyperlocal solutions and key products ranging from Reels and AI to messaging. We’re thrilled to deepen our partnership with FADA and take on the ambitious target of upskilling 5000 more dealers in the next 2 years. This program has not only benefitted thousands of auto dealers but also proven to drive strong sales results for leading OEMs.”

Auto OEMs have reported strong sales and lead generation impact because of the program.

Group Head of Marketing at Hyundai Motor India Limited, Virat Khullar, said “We’re excited to see outstanding business results through our partnership with Meta and OnlineSales on the Hyperlocal program. Together, we’ve developed a custom model that efficiently onboarded over 600 dealers in record time. In H2 '24, Meta’s hyperlocal program drove a remarkable 37% growth in sales compared to H1, while delivering 29% reduction in Cost per Retail.  As we move forward, we’re eager to scale this partnership further, leveraging cutting-edge AI and messaging solutions to unlock even greater opportunities.”

Chief Marketing Officer of Auto at Mahindra and Mahindra Limited, Manjari Upadhye, said “Our partnership with Meta has helped amplify the impact of our passenger vehicle launches. Mahindra has leveraged the best and latest in technology to drive launch impact through Meta’s family of Apps. Some of the key activations include leveraging WhatsApp for Thar ROXX launch, using Partnership ads for driving consideration for XUV 700 (Intent went up +3.3 pts) and the Auto Industry’s first chat-based car configurator on Messenger and Instagram Direct for XUV 3XO, which saw 29% increase in conversation volumes. Our collaboration with Meta has driven significant impact, leading to bookings and sales, and setting new benchmarks in the industry.”

Key Insights from the Auto Playbook 2025

Meta’s influence in driving discovery & evaluation, powered by AI: 72 percent of new automotive buyers who were surveyed in this research discovered the brand on the Meta family of apps. Further, 69 percent stated that the Meta family of apps played a role in their purchase decision.

WhatsApp Leads Buyer-Dealer Communication: Among new automobile buyers, 48 percent used WhatsApp to directly connect with dealerships for vehicle availability inquiries, making it the most preferred communication channel. Moreover, 47 percent expressed interest in receiving service reminders via messaging platforms.

Advantage+ Placements Revolutionizing Advertising: To improve cost per lead and lead volume by Meta for their Hyperlocal dealer campaigns, Hyundai India, used AI-powered Advantage+ Placements to place their dealer ads across all Meta surfaces. They saw 18 percent an increase in Lead Volume and 34 percent decrease in Cost Per Lead.

Reels and Creator Content Drive Purchase Decisions: 72 percent of automotive buyers find creator content on Instagram Reels helpful for vehicle evaluation, with 41 percent regularly engaging with vehicle-related Reels. By partnering with creators, dealers can build authenticity and amplify their reach.

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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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