Mumbai, Sep 3: At the 66th Annual Convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Special Plenary Session 1, themed “Driving Global Leadership in Sustainable Mobility,” discussed India’s roadmap to become a global leader in sustainable mobility by 2047.
Guest of Honour, Mr Tarun Kapoor, Advisor to Prime Minister, Government of India, recognised automotive sector’s role in contributing to the economy. He stated, “India’s mobility transition must accelerate towards cleaner fuels, with electric, biofuels and green hydrogen shaping the way forward. We must strengthen charging infrastructure, transition of heavy vehicles to electrics, build our export ecosystem and make India a global hub for advanced mobility technologies and manufacturing.”
Mr V Umashankar, Secretary, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India, said, “The auto sector represents a growth story that is unparalleled driven by strong collaboration amongst all stakeholders. Government’s PARIVARTAN scheme for commercial vehicles in Delhi-NCR is gaining momentum and would transform this segment in this region.”
Mr Kamran Rizvi, Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India, said, “India’s electric mobility journey is a masterclass, from FAME to PLI, government have supported the sector all through to developed scale. Over the next 10–15 years, the scales will be tipped towards electric mobility. We need to shorten the catch-up time in technology. We need to become inventors of technology.”
Mr Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., said, “Affordability has been key to expanding car ownership in India, and GST reforms have made mobility more accessible to first-time buyers. India is making strong progress on sustainability while keeping mobility affordable and strengthening its alternate fuel ecosystem. With CNG and biofuels available at scale, India is reducing its dependence on fossil fuels significantly.”
Addressing the Session virtually, Mr Ola Källenius, CEO, Mercedes-Benz Ltd. and President, European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), highlighted ‘Global Experiences of Leveraging AI in Sustainable Mobility”, and said, “India has the largest R&D centre outside of Germany, a key local production hub for ICE & EV, and takes a front seat in our industry’s global transformation, from voice assistants to automated driving. Together, India and Europe can shape the digital future.”
The session also witnessed an engaging presentation by McKinsey & Company on ‘Leveraging AI for Driving Global Leadership in Sustainable Mobility’, delivered by Mr Nitesh Gupta, Senior Partner, McKinsey & Company. Mr Shenu Agarwal, Vice President, SIAM and Managing Director & CEO, Ashok Leyland Ltd., was also present during the session. Mr R Velusamy, Chairman, SIAM Passenger Vehicle CEOs Council and President – Automotive Business, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., highlighted how India can utilise AI to drive innovations that foster sustainability in the Indian automobile sector.