Isuzu Opens Its First Skill Development And Experience Centre In Noida

Isuzu Opens Its First Skill Development And Experience Centre In Noida

With an intention to better address the needs of its customers, Isuzu Motors India has commissioned a skill development and experience centre in Noida. 

Located in Sector-10 of Noida, the new facility will impart world-class comprehensive training to the service personnel including service managers, advisors and technicians of growing Isuzu dealer partners in North India and other neighbouring regions. 

Including a brand experience area with a permanent two-vehicle display in a thematic environment, the new centre at Noida adds to the count of an existing skill development facility already operational in Chennai since 2014. 

Inaugurated by Rajesh Mittal, Managing Director and President, Isuzu Motors India, and Toru Kishimoto, Deputy Managing Director, Isuzu Motors India, in the presence of the dealer partners and staff, the new centre at Noida will also offer specialised learning modules to Isuzu dealer technicians on various technical subjects regarding the company’s vehicles, service aspects and enhance skills. 

The learning modules, comprising class-room and practical sessions in live work-bays, will comprehensively cover areas from periodic maintenance to advanced level of drivetrain management. The centre will impart training to 15-20 dealer personnel per batch and the sessions will be handled by dedicated Isuzu service coaches.

Commenting on the development, Kishimoto said, “Training and Development has always been at the core of Isuzu operations. Being a leading manufacturer of commercial vehicles globally, Isuzu believes in skill development of dealer technicians as one of the key pillars of providing higher service quality and ensuring customer delight. We are committed to offering the ‘right products and services’ in India as well and this centre will further enhance the skill and competence in the service domain.”

In addition to offering the above stated services, the centre at Noida would also serve as a base for honing skills of the national team of technicians who would represent India at the ‘I-1Grand Prix World Technical Competition’ held biennially. Notably, Team India has reached the top 10 position amongst teams from 24 other countries, in the highly recognised Isuzu global competition.

Maruti Suzuki Partners Indian Oil To Establish Service Centres At Fuel Stations

Maruti Suzuki India - IOCL

Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Oil Corporation (IOCL) to set up vehicle service facilities at fuel retail outlets across India.

The partnership aims to integrate automotive maintenance with energy supply points to increase service accessibility for car owners.

As per the understanding, facilities at IOCL stations will offer routine maintenance, minor repairs and major services. This initiative expands Maruti Suzuki India’s existing network, which currently consists of 5,780 service touchpoints in 2,882 cities. Indian Oil operates a network of over 41,000 fuel stations nationwide, providing the infrastructure for the rollout.

Ram Suresh Akella, Executive Officer (Service), Maruti Suzuki India, said, “Our goal is to make car servicing as easy and convenient as possible for our customers. By partnering with Indian Oil Corporation Limited, one of India’s most trusted Maharatna enterprises, we will leverage their unmatched reach to take our after-sales service to locations frequently visited by our customers. This collaboration marks a significant step to bring mobility and energy sector together and deliver superior customer care experience. We are committed to enhance accessibility, deliver unmatched convenience, and ensure complete peace of mind in the car ownership journey for our customers.”

Saumitra P. Srivastava, Director (Marketing), Indian Oil Corporation, said, “Indian Oil is committed to enhancing the customer experience at our fuel stations through value-added services. With a network of over 41,000 fuel stations across the length and breadth of India, we are uniquely positioned to bring essential services closer to the consumer. By partnering with Maruti Suzuki, we are integrating world-class automotive maintenance along with our energy offerings.”

The collaboration represents a convergence of the mobility and energy sectors, intended to provide maintenance at locations already frequented by motorists for refueling.

ACMA Automechanika

ACMA Automechanika New Delhi, the biennial automotive aftermarket component trade fair, is set to be held from 5th February to 7th February 2026 at Yashobhoomi (IICC), Dwarka.

The event in its biggest avatar is set to feature over 800 exhibitors from 19 countries, representing the largest edition of the fair to date.

The expansion follows an 8 percent growth in exports for India’s automotive components industry and a 6 percent growth in the domestic aftermarket for FY2025. Factors contributing to this growth include an ageing vehicle population and the formalisation of service networks. The exhibition will cover 50,000 gross square metres and showcase 3,000 brands, including 285 first-time participants.

The event spans several sectors:

  • Components and Systems: Electronics, body parts and engine components.
  • Repair and Maintenance: Diagnostics, service equipment and workshop tools.
  • Accessories and Customisation: Car care, body and paint and lifestyle products.
  • Emerging Technology: Solutions for new mobility and digital service channels.

ACMA Automechanika New Delhi will feature international pavilions from China, Germany, Iran, Hong Kong, Sri Lanka and Taiwan. Participating global brands include GMB, Horse Powertrain Solutions and Teknorot Otomotiv. A dedicated Workshop Pavilion will focus specifically on diagnostics and service equipment. Component makers from India such as Minda Corporation, Schaeffler India, SKF India and ZF India have also confirmed their participation.

Raj Manek, Executive Director and Board Member, Messe Frankfurt Asia Holdings, said, “I am very delighted by the fact that the show has received a very rich domestic and international participation and also the show has reflected the upward growth of India’s auto component sector. ACMA Automechanika New Delhi, which is a part of our global brand, has impressively posted a huge increase in new participants and is presenting a huge lineup of aftermarket solutions. All this is coming at a time when industry and government are simultaneously spearheading efforts to make India an auto powerhouse. We are confident of delivering a yet another amazing edition of the show.”

Vinnie Mehta, Director General, ACMA, said, “For ACMA, the event is not only about showcasing products, but about presenting India as a reliable partner for quality-driven, technology-led aftermarket solutions. With higher localisation, improving export capability and participation across MSMEs, Tier-1 suppliers and global brands, the aftermarket is steadily moving towards higher value and innovation.”

The fair will include knowledge programmes on 6 and 7 February, covering topics such as regulatory compliance, anti-counterfeiting, and workshop best practices. A leadership dialogue will specifically address the localisation of semiconductor power components for the electrification of two-wheelers and three-wheelers in India.

Think Gas

THINK Gas, one of the leading players in city gas distribution business (CGD) has commenced the implementation of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board’s (PNGRB) National Drive 2.0.

The campaign, inaugurated by Dr Anil Kumar Jain, Chairperson of PNGRB, aims to expand the Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) station network across 10 states.

THINK Gas, the merged entity of AG&P Pratham and THINK Gas, is a leading player in India’s City Gas Distribution (CGD) business. It has 19 CGD licenses awarded by the Petroleum & Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) under the aegis of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG) to exclusively develop CGD infrastructure and provide natural gas across 49 Districts in the 10 states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

The initiative aligns with the ‘One Nation, One Grid, One Tariff’ framework, which seeks to standardise gas access.

Dr Anil Kumar Jain, Chairperson, PNGRB, said, “National Drive 2.0 is a focused initiative of PNGRB to deepen the reach of City Gas Distribution networks and accelerate the adoption of PNG and CNG across the country. The Unified Tariff framework is enhancing affordability, transparency, and access, ensuring that regulatory reforms translate into direct consumer benefits. THINK Gas has exemplified this vision by investing over INR 5.1 billion in the Barmer–Jodhpur–Jaisalmer Geographical Area and adopting a unique LCNG-based hybrid supply model to ensure uninterrupted gas supply even in the absence of pipeline connectivity.”

Amitava Sengupta, Chairman, THINK Gas, said, “PNGRB’s National Drive 2.0 is a landmark initiative that will play a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of PNG and CNG across India. This drive comes close on the heels of the implementation of landmark tariff reforms by the PNGRB when Domestic PNG and CNG segments will benefit from a preferential tariff system.”

Skill-Lync

The Institute Incubation and Innovation Council (I3C) at the Indian Institute of Technology Jammu (IIT Jammu) has formed a collaboration with Skill-Lync to provide certificate courses in mobility engineering.

The partnership is designed to address the transition within the automotive sector toward electric vehicles (EVs) and software-defined vehicle (SDV) platforms.

Till date, Skill-Lync is said to have trained over 20,000 engineering professionals in the last three years across 80 organisations in domains including electronics, embedded systems, and advanced manufacturing. The curriculum combines the academic research approach of IIT Jammu with industry practices derived from these collaborations. The global automotive electronics market is projected to increase from USD 280 billion in 2024 to over USD 468 billion by 2030, driving demand for engineers skilled in systems engineering and power electronics.

“At I3C-IIT Jammu, we remain committed to advancing engineering excellence and contributing meaningfully to India’s technology ecosystem. Collaborating with Skill-Lync allows us to support well-structured initiatives aligned with the evolving needs of the mobility and automotive sector,” said a statement from I3C-IIT Jammu.

Krishna Bandaru, Co-Founder, Skill-Lync, said, “Our in-depth work with automotive organisations has given us strong validation of how engineering roles are evolving across EVs, software-defined platforms, and advanced manufacturing. Partnering with I3C-IIT Jammu to offer IIT Jammu Certificate Courses allows us to shape these learnings with greater academic structure, credibility, and long-term impact.”

The initiative aligns with the shift by manufacturers such as Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and JSW MG Motor India toward connected vehicle architectures. The programs cover battery technologies, over-the-air (OTA) architectures and data-enabled systems. Applications for the certificate programmes are open on the platforms of both organisations, with scholarship benefits available for eligible candidates.