John Deere completed 25 years of its services in India this year. On this occasion, a press meet was held at the John Deere factory in Pune, India today. Ramakant Garg, Director – Sales and Marketing, John Deere India; Shailendra Jagtap, Managing Director and Country Manager, John Deere India; and Mukul Varshney, Director – Corporate Affairs, Media, PR and Communications for John Deere in India, Africa, Middle East, Southeast Asia and Asia Pacific addressed the media.

Over its 25 years, John Deere has shown commitment to investment in manufacturing and product development in India, including –

• Tractor manufacturing locations in Pune (Maharashtra) and Dewas (Madhya Pradesh).
• Electronics system manufacturing in Pune (Maharashtra).
• India Engineering Centre in Pune (Maharashtra).
• Enterprise Technology Centre in Pune (Maharashtra).
• Global IT Centre in Pune (Maharashtra) and Bengaluru (Karnataka).
• Parts Distribution Centre in Nagpur (Maharashtra) and Indore (Madhya Pradesh).
• John Deere Finance in Pune (Maharashtra). 
• 1,200 touch points under 580 channel partners across the country, 22 branch offices and four zonal training centres. 
• Wirtgen Group, a John Deere Company Pune (Maharashtra).

John Deere has continued to innovate, invest and leverage manufacturing, talent and India’s supply chain through these 25 years to serve farmers in India and around the world – all designed to enhance farm productivity through technologically-advanced products and services. The latest example is the 5M series tractor and a production system approach that offers higher horsepower, advanced features and precision technology aimed to reduce the cost of farming operations and enhance income levels. The introduction of John Deere’s products and solutions are recent examples of the company’s efforts to provide farmers a wide range of technologically-superior farm solutions including tractors, harvesters and hi-tech implements.

Jagtap asserted that John Deere is leading the way to bring technologies to tractors and farm equipment that lower the overall cost of farm operations by reducing the number of operations needed in the field and efficient use of fertilisers and chemicals. These are essential for additionally meeting sustainability goals and reduced emissions – both of which help meet Deere’s strategic ambitions to protect the environment. For instance, he said that the introduction of technologies such as a front PTO (power takeoff) and specially designed front farm implements have helped reduce the cost of some operations by more than 25 percent while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Varshney said, “John Deere is the world’s leading manufacturer of agriculture and turf equipment, products and solutions also serving the construction and forestry industry. It is uniquely positioned to deliver both economic and sustainable value for our customers through advanced technology and solutions. Our 25-year journey in India has witnessed a transformation in Indian agriculture as well. At John Deere, we are truly living our higher purpose – We run so life can leap forward.

Jagtap cited, “Our journey in India began 25 years ago with the introduction of advanced product features such as power steering, oil immersed disk brakes, planetary reduction, force feed lubrication, high torque machines and value-add technologies, such as front PTO, perma clutch, AutoTrac, PowrReverser and JDLink. John Deere continues to innovate and introduce these advanced features in India which are now becoming industry standard. The farmers ’outlook is progressive, and they adopt technologies when they see value and cost benefits.”

Jagtap went on to share that Deere remains committed to support the food security mission of the country as well as the changing dietary requirements of the growing populations. He additionally noted that Deere is proud to lead India from subsistence farming to agri-entrepreneurship. “Our efforts for a wholistic farm solution and inclusion of women farmers in the farm mechanisation journey have been immensely valued by our customers. We see pride in their families as we help women farmers skill themselves and become economically independent,” he said.

John Deere also provides financial solutions for wholesale as well as retail customers. For any country, agriculture is vital for its economic stability, inclusive growth and food security. Jagtap mentioned that when it comes to agriculture, there are some challenges like soil erosion, limited energy resources and growing population. He averred, “We need to reduce the impact on the environment while carrying out agriculture. When we bring in a technology or product or solution, we need to take care of the soil and the environment.”

Adding to this, Garg said, “We continue to make technologies that also improve the comfort and convenience of the farmers. The need of an equipment varies according to the geography; we provide the same as per the climate of a place and the financial solutions. Many of the technologies introduced way back in 2000 have become technology norms over time.”

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The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) and Eicher Trucks & Buses, a division of VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV), have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) regarding the replacement scheme for commercial vehicles in the Delhi-NCR region.

Under the agreement, Eicher Trucks & Buses will provide an 8 percent discount on the ex-showroom price of eligible vehicles. CV customers can also receive additional support regarding motor vehicle tax, registration fees, interest subvention and fuel benefits, as defined by the scheme criteria. The process will be managed through a digital platform integrated with the VAHAN database and the vehicle scrapping ecosystem.

S S Gill, Chief Commercial Officer, VE Commercial Vehicles, said, “For over 4 decades, Eicher Trucks and Buses customers have driven modernisation in the Indian CV industry. Carrying this tradition, Eicher Trucks and Buses is pleased to join hands with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways on their path-breaking policy to replace old and polluting vehicles from the NCR region. Eicher customers will gain from the substantial incentives offered by the Government of India and State Governments of Delhi, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan under this program."

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Chennai-headquartered commercial vehicle major Ashok Leyland has introduced a new range of trucks equipped with air suspension, which includes three models: the AVTR 4925 10x2 MAV, the AVTR 4625 10x2 MAV and the AVTR 4525 8x2 MAV. These vehicles offer payload advantages of up to 4 tonnes.

The trucks are designed to provide stability, reduce vibrations and improve tyre life. The company says that the suspension system requires no greasing, facilitating maintenance-free operations.

The new air-suspension-equipped truck range is available in cowl and cabin options with various loading spans. Standard features include Intelligent Vehicle Acceleration Control (iVAC) and Automatic Traction Control (ATC) to assist with fuel efficiency and traction.

Shenu Agarwal, Managing Director & CEO, Ashok Leyland, said, "Ashok Leyland has always been a technology leader in the Indian CV industry. Since our inception we have been known for introducing technology solutions that create meaningful value for customers. With the launch of the new Air Suspension technology in trucks, we are reinforcing that position. These new trucks offer best in class payload capability, improved comfort, and better performance, helping our customers improve productivity and profitability."

Sanjeev Kumar, President MHCV, Ashok Leyland, added, "Customers today are looking for vehicles that provide better efficiency, reliability, and value throughout their operations. Our new air suspension range has been developed keeping these requirements in mind. With benefits such as improved vehicle stability, reduced vibrations, superior ride comfort, and improved tyre life, these trucks are designed to deliver a better ownership experience for customers."

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Pune-headquartered Force Motors has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) to participate in the Commercial Vehicle Replacement Scheme for the Delhi-NCR region.

The scheme facilitates the replacement of BS-IV and older trucks and buses in Delhi-NCR with BS-VI or electric vehicles to lower emissions. Under the agreement, Force Motors will provide benefits to customers through its dealership network in the region.

Prasan Firodia, Managing Director, Force Motors, said, "Force Motors is pleased to partner with the Government of India in this important initiative to modernise the commercial vehicle fleet in the Delhi-NCR region. The scheme aligns with our commitment to delivering cleaner, more efficient mobility solutions. We look forward to enabling fleet operators and customers to transition to the latest generation of commercial vehicles through this collaborative initiative."

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Chennai-headquartered automotive major Ashok Leyland has inaugurated a new dealership for Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) in Ratnagiri. This facility is the 16th LCV dealership in Maharashtra, adding to a distribution network of 950 touchpoints across India.

The new dealership is operated by Lavekar Motors as a 3S (Sales, Service and Spares) facility, which features 8 service bays and is located near Mahanagar CNG Pump.

Viplav Shah, Head – LCV Business, Ashok Leyland Ltd. said, “Maharashtra has always been an important market for us, and we are excited to further strengthen our presence in this region. Our relationship with customers is built on trust, performance, and shared growth. Our products are known for their superior mileage, reliability, and performance with a robust network and an industry-leading service retention, we take pride in the continued confidence our customers place in us. The opening of this new dealership marks yet another step in our commitment to delivering world-class products and unmatched services to our valued customers.”

Till date, Ashok Leyland has sold over 600,000 LCVs in India, which are manufactured at the Hosur plant.

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