There is a certain gain in momentum in the manufacturing sector as industries – SMEs in particular – see an increasing flow of orders in the aftermath of elections and the announcement of new infrastructural projects such as highways. There is a certain optimism in the manufacturing sector in view of the upcoming budget in anticipation of supply chain measures as many companies look at India as an alternative to China. 

While challenges such as rising operational expenses due to an increase in electricity charges, skilled manpower costs, raw material cost and logistics costs account for headwinds, new orders on account of new engineering projects account for the tailwinds. 

The effect of policy push through PLI schemes has started to show effect on the manufacturing sector despite one more headwind – to scale up in a journey towards a global manufacturing hub. With automotive components accounting for large orders with ironically the least margins in terms of income or profits as compared to other sectors such as pumps and air-conditioners, an interesting trend evident is an increase in orders right down to the SME level. This includes automotive components on account of new projects and exports. 

Against the talk of vehicle sales across various categories moderating, the trends in auto components manufacturing seem to actually pick up pace. “Manufacturing industries are seeing an increase in work orders, which indicates the starting of new projects and business arrangements post the election. We as a SME are also experiencing the flow of new orders though the margins on orders from the automotive OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers seem to have hardly any while the quantities are often large and of the ‘production’ kind,” mentioned Sachin Sawant, Partner, Nuovotech Engineers. This SME enterprise from Pune recently bagged an order for an EV project. 

“We are looking at what the budget has to offer in terms of the boost that is evident in the manufacturing sector after a considerable amount of time. We are also hopeful of a continued momentum in view of the upcoming festive season and a good monsoon, which often has a positive effect on the manufacturing sector,” he added. 

A proprietor of another SME unit in Vasai also spoke about an increase in manufacturing activity with the starting of new projects. His company is into the supply of automation solutions to the sectors including automotive. Of the opinion that the GST has to come down in the aftermath of the profound effect it has had on manufacturing sector in terms of its competitiveness and a significant increase in costs, he said that the budget could outline some more positive measures to boost manufacturing to a higher level on the account of not revealing his identity. 

Luxury car sales slowdown

Attributing the slowdown as part of the broader moderation in automotive sales, luxury cars markers are of the opinion that the slowdown in luxury car sales is temporary. The slowdown in automotive sales, including that of the luxury automobiles has been due to the intense summer and general elections, claimed a few industry sources whereas others attributed it to the shift in spending by the wealthy. With a good monsoon and the upcoming festive season, luxury car makers are confident that the slowdown that is current apparent will soon resolve to ensure yet another good fiscal of sales and performance. 

Pointing at the challenge faced regarding BIS certification faced by a luxury automobile manufacturer in the first half of this calendar year, industry sources said that the launch of new models on account of the upcoming festive season should dial momentum back into luxury car sales.  

Image for representative purpose only.

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Cars24 has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, to support India's startup ecosystem through initiatives focused on artificial intelligence, mobility, and road safety.

As per the agreement, Cars24 will establish structured programmes for early-stage founders, granting access to its infrastructure, mentor network, funding sources, market connections and technical resources. In turn, the DPIIT will facilitate national outreach and ecosystem integration via the Startup India platform, supporting knowledge exchange, co-branding and policy engagement.

The partnership encompasses five specific areas of operation: mentorship for early-stage founders via the Cars24 Founders' Fellowship, training through Mobility and Autotech Skilling Programmes, technical support and AI integration via Cars24 Labs, investor connections through Fuel by Cars24 and the organisation of an annual Innovation Challenge and Road Safety Hackathon alongside the DPIIT.

Vikram Chopra, Builder, Cars24, said, “Cars24 is proof that Indian founders can start with a difficult, everyday problem and build something on a national scale. We want to pass that possibility on. Through this partnership with DPIIT, we are backing the next generation of builders with more than advice. We want to give them access, capital, talent and a real platform to test ideas that can make India move smarter and safer.”

A senior DPIIT official commented, “Industry participation is central to strengthening India’s startup ecosystem. Collaborations of this kind, where an established market leader opens up its scale, mentorship and resources to early-stage founders, are exactly the bridge between ambition and execution that young startups need. We welcome Cars24’s commitment to mentoring, skilling and supporting product startups across the country.”

The non-binding MoU establishes a framework for ongoing collaboration between both entities to foster technology adoption and entrepreneurship within the Indian mobility sector.

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NXP Semiconductors has announced that the BMW Group will deploy its Trimension NCJ29D6 Ultra-Wideband (UWB) family across its vehicle fleet, beginning with selected 2026 production programmes.

The hardware component integrates fine-ranging capabilities with short-range radar functionality on a single chip. This allows vehicle manufacturers to utilise a single system for multiple applications, including hands-free vehicle entry and occupant presence detection.

The integration supports BMW’s Digital Key Plus feature, which enables vehicle owners to substitute key fobs with smartphones or smartwatches. The system manages locking and unlocking functions as the user approaches or moves away from the vehicle. Additionally, the technology includes in-cabin radar monitoring designed to identify motion patterns consistent with occupants or animals left inside a parked vehicle, sending notification alerts to users to align with European and Chinese NCAP assessment protocols.

Markus Staeblein, Senior Vice-President and General Manager, Secure Car Access at NXP Semiconductors, said, “NXP’s proven Trimension UWB platform maximises value for OEMs, using a single system to deliver multiple new and differentiating features for drivers. Digital key and presence detection are just the beginning. OEMs will be able to deliver additional UWB-based features, such as kick sensing, intrusion alert or automatic charging, as they establish the secure hardware platform in their vehicles.”

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Envalior India, an engineering materials company formed through the merger of DSM Engineering Materials and LANXESS High Performance Materials, will inaugurate the Envalior Centre of Excellence in Electric Vehicle Technology on 5 August 2026 as part of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) program.

The CoE located at Marathwada Mitra Mandal's Polytechnic in Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune, will be implemented by the BroadArks Foundation to provide vocational training in electric vehicle systems.

It plans to train 250 individuals annually through two courses: a Level 4 Certificate in EV Service, Safety & Maintenance and a Level 5 Advanced Certificate in EV Diagnostics & Systems.

The curricula align with the National Skills Qualifications Framework and carry certification support from the Confederation of Indian Industry. The programs target students from Industrial Training Institutes and polytechnics studying mechanical, electrical, electronics, mechatronics and computer science disciplines.

Training instruction covers classroom coursework and laboratory modules focused on vehicle architecture, battery management systems, charging infrastructure, thermal management, power electronics, diagnostics and workshop safety protocols. Practical assessments and industry projects form part of the curriculum structure.

Nileshkumar Kukalyekar, Business Director – South Asia, Middle East & Africa, Envalior, said, "The launch of the Envalior Centre of Excellence reflects our commitment to supporting India's transition towards electric mobility by investing in the people who will power it. Through this Centre, we aim to provide students with industry-aligned, hands-on training that prepares them for the evolving demands of the EV sector while contributing to a stronger and future-ready workforce."

In addition to student instruction, the facility is designed to support laboratory infrastructure and instructor development programs for technical education in the region.

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South Korean auto major Hyundai Motor Group has appointed Junghyun Kwon as Executive Vice-President and Head of the Autonomous Driving Development Center.

Kwon will oversee software engineering, deep learning integration, perception systems and commercialisation pathways for the group's autonomous mobility programs, reporting directly to Minwoo Park, President and Head of the Advanced Vehicle Platform (AVP) Division.

He joins the group following technical management roles in software development and artificial intelligence across international technology firms. Kwon previously managed autonomous driving software development and deployment at NVIDIA before directing intelligent robotics development at Samsung Electronics. His technical background covers machine learning models, computer vision systems and vehicle perception frameworks.

The executive appointment forms part of a broader recruitment sequence targeting software-defined vehicle architectures and autonomous driving systems.

Earlier in July, Hyundai Motor Group appointed Dongwuk Kim as Senior Vice-President and Head of the SDV Platform Development Center, following his work on wireless communication systems for mobile devices, robotics and vehicles at Apple and Tesla. The group also added Jeremy Ma as Senior Vice-President and Head of AVP Silicon Valley, drawing on his experience in robotics and autonomous systems at Apple, Toyota Research Institute and NVIDIA.

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