ACMA Hosts Inaugural STEER 2025, Setting the Course For India’s Automotive Aftermarket

The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) recently held the inaugural STEER 2025, a national aftermarket confluence designed to chart a course for the future of India’s automotive components industry.

The event, convened on 8th August, saw participation from leading government and industry voices, including Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, Shradha Suri Marwah, President, ACMA, Vinnie Mehta, Director General, ACMA and Ramashankar Pandey, Chairman, ACMA Aftermarket Sub-Committee.

In his keynote, Joshi praised ACMA’s commitment to consumer empowerment and highlighted the government’s Right to Repair initiative, stating that it would help make genuine spare parts and repair information more accessible and encourage sustainability and affordability while strengthening India’s presence globally.

Throughout the day, delegates engaged in lively discussions on sectoral challenges and opportunities around safety, technology adoption, skills development, market access and supply chain resilience. Actionable recommendations emerged to help advance the aftermarket in line with evolving consumer expectations and international trends.

According to data presented by Ernst & Young, India’s auto component sector has experienced robust growth, registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 12 percent from FY2018 to FY2024. The aftermarket segment itself expanded at around 8 percent CAGR over this period.

In FY2024, the industry’s turnover reached INR 6,147 billion, with exports climbing to INR 1,760 billion and constituting around 4 percent of India’s total national exports. The sector currently contributes approximately 2 percent to India’s GDP and provides employment to nearly five million people, highlighting its importance as one of the country’s largest employers.

Exports have become a significant driver, fuelled by strong domestic demand, supportive government incentives and India’s integration within the global ‘China+1’ supply strategy. Lower manufacturing costs give Indian exporters a competitive edge, with average factory wages 50-75 percent lower than those in China, allowing for 20-30 percent savings on labour-intensive components. Government schemes such as the Auto PLI Scheme have further boosted export growth, offering sales-linked incentives of 8–18 percent for advanced and electric vehicle components. Engine parts remain the largest export category, though substantial shares are also held by sectors such as suspension, braking, body/chassis, transmission and electronics.

Global opportunities abound in both developed and emerging markets. Key targets for Indian suppliers include Latin America, Indonesia, Poland, the UAE and Africa. Brazil’s automotive aftermarket alone is valued at USD 12,091 million (CY23), while Indonesia’s stands at USD 7,759 million, offering significant scope for further growth. Indian mechanical and consumable parts, particularly for two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and tractors, enjoy a reputation for quality in many of these regions; for instance, Nigerian purchasers are willing to pay up to 25 percent more for critical Indian spares compared to cheaper Chinese alternatives.

Trade agreements such as the India-UAE CEPA have facilitated access to high-growth markets by removing import duties, while bilateral pacts with African nations support expansion into West and East Africa. In Africa, car ownership remains relatively low at 40 per 1,000 people – far less than the global average – indicating substantial growth potential for automotive aftermarket products over the coming decade.

At STEER 2025, speakers emphasised strategies for further accelerating India's export momentum, including building stronger online and e-commerce presence, innovative branding, tailored product offerings, collaborative supplier initiatives, streamlined logistics and enhanced market access through local partnerships. ACMA reaffirmed its commitment to close collaboration with government and industry stakeholders, placing consumer empowerment and sustainability at the core of its vision to enhance India's reputation as a globally competitive supplier.

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HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS has taken part in JEC World 2026, the premier global composites exhibition, held from 10 to 12 March 2026 at the Paris Nord Villepinte Convention Center in Paris, France. The company’s participation focuses on its advanced carbon fibre-based composite technologies, applicable in the automotive sector, alongside other key industries such as aerospace, construction and renewable energy.

Having consistently attended this prestigious event since 2013, the company is using this year’s platform to showcase innovations that cater to both high-performance and large-scale industrial needs. A central part of its display includes high-strength 3K carbon fibre, notable for its enhanced tensile strength, making it suitable for demanding applications in automotive components, drones, aviation and civil engineering. To address the requirements of broader industrial markets, the company is also featuring its 48K Large Tow carbon fibre, designed for use in wind power and the automotive industry.

At its exhibition booth, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS is demonstrating the practical versatility of its materials by displaying finished products such as drones and high-pressure hydrogen storage tanks, both manufactured using its carbon fibre. This approach underscores the material’s critical role in lightweighting and high-strength applications, including the growing field of hydrogen mobility.

Carbon fibre, which is both a quarter of the weight of steel and significantly stronger, is seeing rising demand for pressure vessels, automotive parts and wind turbine blades. As the first Korean company to domestically develop high-strength carbon fibre under the TANSOME brand in 2010, HS HYOSUNG has been operating its Jeonju plant since 2013 and is now expanding its production capabilities into China and Vietnam. Building on this foundation, the company aims to solidify its status as a global leader, particularly following its 2022 development of H3065, an ultra-high-strength carbon fibre over 14 times stronger than steel, intended for advanced aerospace and automotive sectors.

Jim Dal Lim, CEO, HS HYOSUNG ADVANCED MATERIALS, said, “JEC World 2026 is an ideal platform to showcase our outstanding technologies to a global audience and discover future collaboration partners. Through this exhibition, we will expand cooperation with global customers and actively explore new business opportunities in the composites market.”

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Belgium-headquartered Dumarey Group (formerly Punch Group) has appointed Abhishek Agarwal as the Vice President – India, effective 1 March 2026. He joins the propulsion systems provider from HORIBA India, where he served as Head of Mobility and Energy.

Agarwal comes with over two decades of experience in the automotive and engineering sectors. Before his tenure at HORIBA India, he spent over 15 years at AVL India as Business Unit Head for Simulation Software. His career also includes roles at Eicher Engineering Solutions and Minda Industries.

His technical focus encompasses: engine and transmission development; control functions and ECU solutions; fuel injection systems and electric vehicle systems.

The Dumarey Group was founded in 1983 by Guido Dumarey as an international business providing engineering services, systems and components for the automotive and industrial sectors. The company’s technology portfolio includes vehicle powertrains, control systems, dual-fuel hydrogen engines and energy storage.

The group operates across ten locations in Europe, the Americas, and Asia. With a workforce of 3,000 employees, it generates approximately EUR 1 billion in annual revenue.

Agarwal holds a Bachelor of Technology in Mechanical Engineering from the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) Kanpur. He also earned an Advance Diploma in Business Administration from the Institute of Management Technology (IMT) Ghaziabad.

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Advent HoldCo has confirmed it will not acquire the LANXESS stake in the ENVALIOR joint venture in 2026. This follows a tender submitted by LANXESS in September 2025. Advent cited financing conditions as the reason for the decision.

The tender and purchase periods for the shares in 2027 and 2028 remain in effect. LANXESS will continue its role in the joint venture. The company attributes the development of ENVALIOR to market recovery within the sector, synergies between the companies and consolidation among competitors.

LANXESS stated it remains financed despite the absence of sale proceeds in 2026. The company maintains a cash position and credit lines totalling more than EUR 1.35 billion. Repayment of the bond maturing in October 2026 is secured.

The company stated that it maintains access to debt capital markets and debt reduction remains its top priority.

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European automotive component supplier Marelli has launched its new generation Port Fuel Injection Engine Control Units (PFI ECUs) for petrol, flex fuel (ethanol, methanol and synthetic fuels) and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) applications, specifically targeting the India, Brazil and EMEA markets.

The ECUs are designed, validated and produced locally in each region. This portfolio utilises Marelli’s 20-year history in flex fuel and bi-fuel technologies to address regional vehicle architectures and emission regulations.

The new ECUs incorporate the Infineon AURIX TC3x automotive microcontroller to manage multitasking and processing. The hardware and software are built to support calibration, homologation and customer-specific tuning.

Key technical features include:

• Processing: Integration of Infineon’s AURIX TC3x for reliability and fast processing.
• Architecture: Open system allowing third-party applications and Firmware Over-the-Air (FOTA) updates.
• Safety & Security: Compliance with ISO 26262 ASIL D functional safety standards and anti-tuning protection.
• Control Channels: Up to eight gasoline injector drivers and four CNG injector drivers.
• Diagnostics: OBDII diagnostics and wide-range O2 Universal Exhaust Gas Oxygen (UEGO) sensors for air/fuel ratio monitoring.

By localising production and R&D, Marelli aims to provide automakers with reduced costs and faster implementation times. The units manage all engine requirements, including integrated combustion algorithms and emission control strategies to meet local regulatory standards.

Giovanni Mastrangelo, Head of R&D for Marelli's Propulsion business, said, "As adoption speeds for propulsion technologies vary, Marelli continues to support customers across the powertrain spectrum. In markets where internal combustion engines remain relevant, our new engine control units enable greater efficiency, emissions reduction, and versatility. This reflects our system-driven approach and know-how in vehicle control, conventional and alternative fuel injection technologies and transmission systems.”

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