Vietnamese automaker VinFast has officially inaugurated its electric vehicle assembly plant at SIPCOT Industrial Park in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, India.

The new facility is VinFast’s third operational plant and the fifth project in its global manufacturing network. It is part of the company’s long-term bet on selling its vehicle in the world’s third-largest automobile market.

The factory is spread across 400 acres and is equipped with state-of-the-art production lines, featuring advanced automation and technologies. The complex houses multiple workshops, including body shop, paint shop, assembly shop, quality control centre, and a logistics hub. It also includes an auxiliary cluster for local contractors, which is expected to expand in the coming years.

The company expects to create around 3,500 jobs for local workers at full capacity, along with several thousand indirect jobs in the supply chain ecosystem. To start with, the company will assembly the VF 7 and VF 6 electric vehicles with a capacity of 50,000 units per annum, which can be scaled upto 150,000 units per annum to meet market demand.

VinFast states with the Tamil Nadu plant on stream, it moves closer to its 2025 sales target of 200,000 vehicles and its long-term production goal of 1 million vehicles per year by 2030.

Pham Sanh Chau, CEO, VinFast Asia, said, “The VinFast Tamil Nadu plant marks a strategic milestone in our long-term commitment to the Indian market. It establishes a strong foundation for sustainable growth and positions us to offer high-quality, competitively priced electric vehicles to Indian consumers. Looking ahead, the facility will expand its production capacity to meet rising demand. We aim to develop it into VinFast’s largest export hub for South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. In fact, we've already secured initial orders from several countries across these regions. In close collaboration with the Tamil Nadu government, VinFast is working to transform the area into the 'EV capital of South Asia'—supporting both the dynamic domestic market and our broader regional ambitions.”

Going forward, VinFast aims to further promote localisation, technology transfer and also upskill its workforce.

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Automotive component supplier Harman, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., has announced a new investment of INR 3.45 billion (USD 42 million) to expand its automotive electronics manufacturing facility in Chakan, Pune, India. This commitment includes an immediate investment of INR 450 million and an additional INR 3  billion over the next three years to support advanced telematics and next-generation automotive connectivity programmes.

This latest funding brings Harman’s cumulative investments in the Pune plant to INR 5.54 billion (USD 67 million) since its inception in 2014. The expansion is expected to create 300 new jobs in Pune by 2027.

The expansion, inaugurated by CEO Christian Sobottka, adds 71,505 square feet of built-up area, boosting the plant's production capacity by 50 percent. By 2027, the facility is poised to deliver an annual output of 4 million car audio components, 1.4 million infotainment units and 800,000 million Telematics Control Units (TCUs).

The facility will now manufacture the Harman Ready Connect, a pre-developed, all-in-one Telematics Control Unit co-developed with Samsung. This commitment, the company states strengthens the Government of India’s vision to ‘Make in India, for the World’ by positioning the country as a hub for advanced automotive manufacturing.

The Pune plant supplies all major Indian OEMs, including Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki India and Mahindra & Mahindra, alongside export customers in Europe and North America.

Christian Sobottka, CEO and President of Automotive, Harman, said, “This investment is a clear signal of our commitment to India. Pune is not just adding capacity - it’s building the future of connected cars. From 5G telematics to sustainable manufacturing, India’s talent and innovation strength make it central to Harman’s global automotive growth.”

The Pune facility also remains a leader in the company's sustainability journey. It currently uses on-site solar installations that generate over 317,000 KWh of electricity annually and is progressing toward 100 percent renewable electricity use by 2030.

Krishna Kumar, Managing Director & Automotive Head, Harman India, said: “India is where Harman designs, builds and exports the next generation of in-car experiences. From connected infotainment to immersive audio to telematics and connected safety solutions, our engineers here don’t just serve India - they serve the world. That’s why India sits at the heart of Harman’s global automotive strategy.”

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Toyoda Gosei Co, and Kansai Paint Co, have partnered to develop an in-mould coating technology that can be applied to the mass production of large plastic automotive exterior parts. This marks the first time in Japan that this technology is applicable to large exterior components, which have a high level of difficulty in production.

In-mould coating involves forming and painting large plastic parts inside the mould itself, a process typically restricted to smaller products.

The development uses Toyoda Gosei's proprietary mould technology for large parts and paint material design technology developed through the collaboration. This new process achieves a seamless appearance with a high level of smoothness on the painted surface, allowing for new moulding designs.

Other benefits include:

• Improved Durability: The use of urethane paint makes abrasions less noticeable.
• Environmental Reduction: A drying furnace is no longer necessary, which the company states reduce CO2 emissions during production by approximately 60 percent.

The first large painted products using this technology are scheduled for market launch in spring of 2026. Toyoda Gosei plans to expand this technology to its international production sites as a pillar of its new decorative technologies.

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The Indian Army's Fire & Fury Corps has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Airbornics Defence & Space (ADSL), part of the JCBL Group, to establish a New Generation Vehicle (NGV) Repair Hub and Warehouse. The facility will be located inside the 14 Corps Zonal Workshop in Leh.

The initiative aims to boost the Army’s logistics readiness by setting up a dedicated OEM warehouse and repair facility for New Generation Vehicles within the Army’s premises.

The ceremony was held at Headquarters 14 Corps, Leh, and was presided over by Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, Corps Commander, 14 Corps. Brig Nipoon Sood, Brig EME, 14 Corps, formally signed the MoU on behalf of the Army.

Under the collaboration, the JCBL Group (ADSL) will provide its expertise in defence manufacturing, support, training, retro-modification and R&D know-how through the NGV Hub framework.

The Group shall also maintain stocking of fast-moving spares for vehicles and equipment supplied to the Indian Army. Additionally, it will supply parts and components of war stores, which it provides to the Ordnance & EME Channels of Indian Army, through its group companies.

The Indian Army plans to expand this presence of industry warehouses to three more forward locations of the 14 Corps Area of Responsibility in the future.

Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, Corps Commander, 14 Corps highlighted that this partnership between Indian Army and Industry would significantly enhance the operational readiness of 14 Corps. He further stressed the need to ensure that Army units fully exploit the presence of Industry Warehouses at these forward locations of Ladakh.

Rishi Aggarwal, Managing Director, JCBL Group, said “The JCBL Group takes pride in being the Industry Partner of the Indian Army. This fresh collaboration with the Fire and Fury Corps of the Northern Command is very special to the Group since it is the most operationally committed formation of the Defence Forces. We compliment Lt Gen Hitesh Bhalla, Corps Commander, 14 Corps for his exceptional vision of incorporating the Industry at Field Formation Level thereby ensuring a significant amelioration of equipment availability and Operational readiness.”

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The Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI) showcased India's industrial sector at the 24th International Forging Congress (IFC 2025) in Frankfurt, Germany.

Yash J Munot, AIFI President, delivered a keynote presentation on India's manufacturing capabilities, technological advancements and vision for global partnerships. He highlighted India's status as the world's second-largest producer of forgings and its position in the global supply chain.

In his address, ‘Forging India’s Future – Partnering with the World,’ he discussed India’s journey of modernisation, global integration and sustainable growth.

"India has transformed from being a land of opportunity to a land of action. The forging industry stands as a true reflection of this transformation, built on the pillars of scale, skill and sustainability and ready to co-author the future of global manufacturing. We have evolved from a labour-intensive past to a capital-intensive, technology-driven present, powered by significant investments in Industry 4.0, AI, automation and smart manufacturing practices. In an era shaped by geopolitical shifts, fluctuating material costs and the global call for sustainability, India’s forging industry offers reliability, quality and resilience. We are not here merely as suppliers, but as partners and collaborators, committed to forging a stronger, more innovative and sustainable industrial future for the world,” he said.

India’s forging industry produces 2.9 million metric tonnes annually, with an installed capacity of 4.8 million MT, representing investments worth USD 3.8 billion. The sector employs over 300,000 people. It supplies components to sectors including automotive, railways, aerospace, defence, construction equipment and engineering. Around 30 percent of total production is exported to Europe, North America and Asia.

The industry has adopted Industry 4.0 technologies such as automation, artificial intelligence, digital simulation and data analytics. The focus on energy-efficient furnaces and circular manufacturing reflects the sector’s commitment to environmental responsibility.

Munot highlighted the upcoming Forging Simulation Centre in Pune, designed to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) improve productivity and minimise environmental impact through digital technologies.

He also announced the 4th edition of Forgetech India, AIFI’s biennial exhibition and conference, scheduled for October 2026.

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