File photo: L-R: Piyush Arora, MD & CEO, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India with Andreas Dick, Skoda Auto Board Member for Production and Logistics with the locally produced Skoda Kylaq SUV at Pune manufacturing plant.

Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has attained a new production milestone of rolling out its 2 millionth unit in the country.

The milestone marks a pivotal moment in the company’s 25-year history in the country. This achievement follows the Group's strongest commercial performance, with October 2025 being its most successful month since the Group's formation. The total includes over 500,000 vehicles built on the MQB-A0-IN platform, which was developed in India by local engineering teams. This platform supports the Skoda Kushaq, Slavia, Kylaq and the Volkswagen Taigun and Virtus.

The last 500,000 units were produced in just 3.5 years, reflecting demand for India-built products.

Interestingly, Skoda Auto India recorded its highest-ever 10-month performance, more than doubling year-on-year to 61,607 units in 2025. Volkswagen India recorded its highest-ever monthly sales for the Virtus during Diwali, with the model holding over 40 percent share in the premium sedan segment in 40 months.

During the year, the Group’s premium and luxury brands also contributed to its market position:

• Bentley launched Bentley India, an operational division within SAVWIPL, accompanied by new showrooms in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
• Porsche India added over 4,400 customers over the past six years and expanded its footprint to 13 points of sale.
• Audi strengthened India’s EV ecosystem with over 6,500 charging points installed under Phase II of the segment-first Charge My Audi initiative. The Audi Approved: plus segment posted 5 percent growth between January and September 2025.
• Lamborghini delivered its best-ever annual performance in 2024, delivering 113 cars, a 10 percent increase over 2023. The launch of the Temerario in India completes Lamborghini’s hybrid transition in line with its Direzione Cor Tauri strategy.

Piyush Arora, CEO & Managing Director, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, said, “Every milestone we achieve in India reflects our strong belief in the country’s potential – not just as a market but as a driving force in the future of mobility. The 2-million mark is the outcome of consistent investment in people, technology and local capability. It also speaks to the exceptional trust Indian customers place in our six brands. Indian buyers are among the most informed and discerning in the world. They evaluate every strength and every limitation before choosing a Volkswagen, Škoda, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini or Bentley, and their confidence strengthens our resolve. This achievement highlights how closely we listen to our customers and how their evolving expectations shape the products we design and build here, with the same quality, precision and trust that define the Group worldwide.”

Going forward, exports will continue to remain a key pillar of the Group’s operations, with more than 700,000 vehicles shipped from India to markets across Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, strengthening India’s emergence as an export hub.

The Group operates facilities in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. The Pune plant was established with an investment of nearly €600 million to support higher volumes and deeper localisation.

Daimler Truck North America (DTNA), a subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, has announced plans to construct a manufacturing facility in the United States. The plant aims to expand production capacity for vocational and on-highway trucks while increasing operational flexibility across North America.

The facility will utilise production technologies, manufacturing systems and assembly processes to handle various vehicle configurations. DTNA is evaluating site locations based on supply chain access, workforce availability, logistics infrastructure, and business conditions. Construction is scheduled to commence in late 2026, with production expected to begin in 2029. The project is projected to generate jobs and local economic activity through supplier and community partnerships.

Karin Radstrom, President and CEO, Daimler Truck, said, “This new manufacturing facility supports our long term growth plans for North America. It strengthens our ability to serve customers by responding faster and more flexibly to their evolving needs while unlocking our full potential through growth, scale and efficiency in line with our global strategy.”

John O’Leary, President and CEO, Daimler Truck North America, stated, “Our industry never stands still, and neither can we. This investment reflects our confidence in the future of commercial transportation and the strength of the North American market. We are building for the future by creating a manufacturing network that is more flexible, resilient, and aligned with our customers' evolving needs. This facility will strengthen our ability to deliver industry-leading products while supporting long-term growth in the United States.”

At present, the company operates manufacturing sites across North Carolina and South Carolina, including facilities in Cleveland, Gastonia, Mount Holly, High Point and Gaffney. It maintains its corporate headquarters and engineering development hub in Portland, Oregon.

Hindalco Industries, the flagship metals company of the Aditya Birla Group, has reported its financial results for Q1 FY2027, recording 32 percent YoY growth in revenue at INR 848.25 billion, as compared to INR 642.32 billion a year ago.

The EBITDA came at INR 149.89 billion, up 73 percent YoY, as compared to INR 86.73 billion a year ago, while net profit came at INR 70.13 billion, up 75 percent YoY, as against INR 40.04 billion a year ago.

The robust performance was supported by earnings across the aluminium upstream, aluminium downstream, copper and Novelis business segments.

The company's subsidiary, Novelis, reported revenue of USD 5.8 billion, representing a 23 percent increase from USD 4.7 billion in the same period last year, driven by metal price movements. Adjusted EBITDA for Novelis rose 24 percent to USD 516 million, while shipments stood at 916 kilo-tonnes compared to 963 kilo-tonnes in the previous year.

Operational developments at Novelis included the restart of the Oswego hot mill in June 2026 and ongoing commissioning at the Bay Minette plant, with commercial shipments planned for the first quarter of the 2028 financial year.

Satish Pai, Managing Director, Hindalco Industries, said, “Hindalco has started FY27 on a strong note, delivering record Revenue, EBITDA and PAT, with every business segment contributing meaningfully to this performance. Our India business delivered another record quarterly performance while Novelis reported improved profitability supported by the successful restart of Oswego and continued benefits from cost optimisation measures. Our Aluminium Upstream business reported an all-time high EBITDA, backed by favourable macros and operational efficiencies. Both our Copper and Aluminium Downstream businesses also delivered record quarterly EBITDA reflecting the continued strength of our diversified business model, value added products and operational excellence.”

“Looking ahead, our pipeline of strategic investments remains robust across upstream and downstream. As we continue to expand upstream capacities in alumina, aluminium and copper, we are scaling up our downstream projects. Projects such as Aditya FRP, battery foil, battery enclosure, Inner Grooved Tube are progressing well while the ramp of Novelis’ Oswego plant and Bay Minette plant will mark another milestone in our downstream growth journey. Together, these investments position Hindalco uniquely as an integrated global metals company with the right balance of upstream strength and downstream value addition to deliver sustainable, long-term growth,” said Pai.

On operational measures, Hindalco commissioned a 65 MW captive round-the-clock renewable energy facility at Aditya Aluminium. The company recorded an overall waste utilisation rate of 80 percent for the quarter and expanded bauxite residue quarry backfilling operations at Dalla in Uttar Pradesh. Water recycling rates reached 29 percent across industrial operations, and the company planted 80,000 saplings during the three-month period.

Vega Auto, the parent company of helmet brand Axor, has commenced production of Revo optical-coated helmet visors in India, marking the start of local manufacturing for the component.

The production launch follows an investment of over INR 20 million in optical coating technology and manufacturing infrastructure. The company plans to produce up to 2.4 million units of the coated visors at its domestic facilities.

The visors utilise multilayer optical coating technology designed to control light glare in bright environmental conditions and reduce visual fatigue. The product engineering focuses on glare management and optical clarity during daylight riding, expanding safety design beyond structural impact protection to address rider visual field requirements and road environment awareness.

Girdhari Chandak, Managing Director, Vega Auto Accessories, said, "At Axor, we believe rider safety begins long before impact, it begins with vision. A rider who can see more clearly can anticipate better, react faster and ride with greater confidence. Becoming the first company in India to manufacture Revo Optical Coated Helmet Visors is a proud milestone for Vega Auto. Our investment of over INR 20 million in advanced optical coating technology reflects our commitment to building world-class innovation in India. Revo is more than a premium visor. It represents a new approach to helmet innovation, one that combines protection with superior visual performance, comfort and rider confidence. This is only the beginning of our journey to redefine rider vision technology."

The manufacturing process incorporates multilayer coatings applied directly to the visor surface to produce a reflective finish while maintaining light transmission properties. Vega Auto will integrate the locally produced visors into its Axor product portfolio while continuing the development of component manufacturing capabilities in India.

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has commenced commercial production at Plant D, the fourth manufacturing unit at its Hansalpur facility in Gujarat.

The new line adds 250,000 units of annual capacity, raising the total annual production capability at the Hansalpur site from 750,000 units to one million vehicles. The expansion makes Hansalpur the first manufacturing location across Suzuki's international network to achieve a million-unit annual capacity and establishes the site as the largest single-location passenger vehicle manufacturing plant in India.

The commissioning of Plant D increases Maruti Suzuki's total installed manufacturing capacity across India to 2.9 million units per year. Total investment in the Hansalpur site stands at INR 252.88 billion, which includes INR 39 billion allocated for the construction and equipping of Plant D. Initial assembly operations at the new plant will focus on the company's battery electric vehicle, the e Vitara.

In addition to the e Vitara, the Hansalpur manufacturing complex produces the Fronx, Baleno and Swift models. The site serves as a primary export hub for Maruti Suzuki, generating approximately 47 percent of the company's total overseas vehicle shipments during the 2025-26 financial year.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Gujarat has emerged as a manufacturing and export hub for Maruti Suzuki, backed by strong infrastructure and a progressive industrial ecosystem. The start of commercial production at the fourth plant of our Hansalpur facility augments its annual production capacity to one million vehicles, making it India’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturing facility at a single location. The new line will further strengthen our ability to meet the growing demand from customers in India and overseas while advancing our ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ vision and expanding our global footprint.”

“Together, the Hansalpur and the upcoming Sanand facility in Gujarat will play a pivotal role in achieving our long-term ambition of producing 4 million units annually in India. These projects reflect our commitment to strengthening India’s manufacturing competitiveness, creating employment, boosting exports, and contributing towards Viksit Bharat,” he added.