India’s commercial vehicle (CV) industry is rapidly aligning with global standards, thanks to policy reforms, evolving customer expectations and a robust domestic ecosystem. Automakers and suppliers are making significant strides in cost competitiveness, safety innovations and integrating alternative energy solutions. As the sector continues to evolve, the need for collaboration and strategic discussions has never been more critical.

Recognising this imperative, Motoring Trends, a leading automotive magazine, hosted its inaugural Commercial Vehicles Conference on 21st November 2024, in Pune, India. Themed ‘Moving India Forward’, the event served as a platform for industry leaders, including OEMs, suppliers, technocrats, fleet operators and industry partners, to address challenges and identify opportunities shaping the future of the Indian CV landscape.

By bringing together stakeholders from across the value chain, the conference underscored the importance of collective action in driving innovation, enhancing safety standards, and adopting sustainable practices. As the CV industry transforms to meet global benchmarks, such forums are vital to ensuring India’s leadership in the sector while addressing its unique market dynamics and needs.

Mahindra Truck & Bus, Ashok Leyland and Apollo Tyres supported the event as sponsors, while Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) was the Associate partner, while Asian Trucker and Tyre Trends were the Media partners. The delegates at the event attended from a range of companies such as Tata Motors, MAN Trucks, Continental India, Tyresoles India, and Volvo Trucks among others.

The event kicked off with Dr Seshu Bhagavathula, Director, CityQ and an automotive industry veteran delivering the Keynote address, where he highlighted how urban cities around the world are working to decongest and decarbonise their streets. “This (decongestion and decarbonisation) requires a serious relook and focus on improving urban mobility as well as the role of alternative energy to support the transition,” Dr Bhagavathula.

Rashmi Urdhwareshe, Former Director, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) shared her perspective on how the automotive industry has been focussing on not just introducing the latest technologies, but also co-developing solutions to meet the India-specific needs. She emphasised  the close cooperation between testing agencies, suppliers and OEMs that is accelerating the transition to the latest technologies.

Making commercial vehicles safer

The commercial vehicle population on Indian roads accounts for a small parc of the total vehicles, but ranks 3^rd when it comes to the vehicles involved in road accidents. In 2022, more than 460,000 accidents took place in India, which resulted in over 168,491 people losing their lives and over 443,366 people being injured.

The first panel discussion of the day focussed on one of the most important aspects pertaining to the CV industry – Safety. The panellists for the session included – Dr Venkat Srinivas, Head Of Business, Mahindra Truck & Bus; Rahul S. Mahajan, Deputy Director, The Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI); Sudeepth Puthumana, Head of Segment – ADAS, Autonomous Mobility, Continental Automotive India and Prashant Kakade, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH).

The session, moderated by Bhushan Mhapralkar, Editor, Motoring Trends, touched upon various factors ranging from ADAS technology, and road designing to driver training and sensitisation.

SKP Amarnath, Group Head - R&D, Apollo Tyres gave a presentation on ‘Commercial Vehicle (Truck) Evolution In India And Impact On Tyres’. He dwelled into the key developments that have taken place in the CV industry and how tyres can play a key role in influencing vehicle safety and efficiency.

Vijay Shrinivas, Member, TREA - Tyre Retreading Education Association and CEO, Indag, gave a presentation on ‘Driving Sustainability and Circularity in Commercial Vehicle Industry’. He presented his thoughts on how treading not only helps save costs on tyre replacement but also enables higher circularity and thus helps reduce carbon emissions too.

Alternative energy & future of commercial vehicles

The role of alternative energy has been a key topic of discussion globally across vehicle segments. While there has been a focus on electrification in certain vehicle classes, the commercial vehicle segment will need to adopt a mixed approach depending on the application and use case.

The second panel discussion was on the topic of Alternative Energy and the Future of Commercial Vehicle. The panellists – Dr Bhagavathula ; Mahesh Babu, CEO, Switch Mobility; Anil Baliga, President, EKA Mobility; Boddapati Dinakar, Executive Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, Volvo Trucks, VECV; Shailesh Zinge, Director - Marketing, Growth Initiatives and Program Management, Engine Business, Cummins India and A Ramasubramanian, CTO, Blue Energy Motors presented their perspective on the alternative fuel segment.

The session was moderated by Nilesh Wadhwa, Assistant Editor, Motoring Trends.

The discussion focussed on how industry stakeholders were exploring various energy mix ranging from electric, LNG to future fuels such as hydrogen and fuel cells. The panellists agreed that globally too at present there was no single fuel that could completely overhaul the commercial vehicles segment. There was a need to not only focus on the vehicles but the necessary charging/refuelling ecosystem.

Transport ecosystem

The health of the CV industry is one of the key barometers to understand a country’s economic prosperity. While one can discuss the trends, policies and technologies, it is imperative that the views of the key stakeholder – fleet operators – are taken into account.

The third panel discussion of the day was on the topic of ‘Transport Ecosystem’. The panellists for the session were - Bal Malkit Singh, Chairman - the Core Committee, Former President, All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC) Prasanna Patwardhan, President, Bus & Car Operators Confederation Of India (BOCI) and Sanjay Sasane, Principal, Institute of Driving Training and Research (IDTR).

The session, moderated by Sharad Matade, Executive Editor, Motoring Trends, had an indepth discussion on how fleet operators continued to face headwinds ranging from increases in operational expenses, driver shortages and road infrastructure among others. At the same time, the revenues had not kept up at the same pace. The panellists also presented their perspectives on the adoption of newer technologies and alternative fuels.

Atul Patil, Vice-President – Marketing, Pin 365 delivered the Vote of Thanks. 

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CASE Construction Equipment, a brand of CNH, has inaugurated new premises in Faridabad within the National Capital Region (NCR) to expand its customer support and service infrastructure.

The 6,000 sqft facility features double the parts storage capacity of the previous setup, a workshop capable of servicing 10 to 12 machines simultaneously and a dedicated equipment display area showcasing four CASE machine models.

The facility will serve customers across northern India, supporting parts availability and machine maintenance operations. During the inauguration event, which was attended by approximately 40 customers, the company completed two machine handovers and three parts invoicing transactions.

CASE has maintained operations in Faridabad since 2018, when it opened its first company-owned, company-operated showroom in India in the city.

Ravindra Ashtekar, Head of Network Development, CASE Construction Equipment, said, "NCR is an important market for construction equipment, with demand shaped by ongoing infrastructure development and a diverse range of customer requirements. Strengthening our presence in the region is therefore an important part of our efforts to remain accessible to customers and provide dependable support. The new premises bring together enhanced parts storage, workshop capacity and a dedicated machine display area, enabling us to further strengthen our service capabilities and customer engagement."

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JBM Electric Vehicles has launched its all-electric city bus, the ECOLIFE e12, at Singapore Urban Mobility Week 2026. The vehicle was unveiled by Dr Shilpak Ambule, High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Singapore, alongside Nishant Arya, Chairman of JBM Electric Vehicles. The launch marks the first introduction of an electric bus in Singapore by an Indian manufacturer.

The ECOLIFE e12 features an aluminium monocoque body structure and incorporates an Intelligent Transport System compliant with Singapore regulatory standards. The vehicle is equipped with telematics for vehicle health monitoring, an Advanced Driver-Assistance System (ADAS), forward collision warning systems, lane departure warnings, pedestrian and cyclist collision detection, blind-spot monitoring, driver drowsiness detection, a 360-degree camera and a fire detection and suppression system.

To support its regional operations, JBM Electric Vehicles has established its Asia-Pacific headquarters in Singapore to handle sales, marketing, aftersales and operational activities. The company maintains an annual production capacity of 20,000 buses at its manufacturing facility in India and holds an order book of 10,000 electric buses for global deployment over the next two years.

Nishant Arya, Chairman of JBM Electric Vehicles, said, "Our mission is to decarbonize public transport by creating new and sustainable global benchmarks. At JBM EV, we believe that the future of green mobility lies in creating vehicles that seamlessly blend innovation, sustainability and user-centric design. Our electric mobility solutions are not just about reducing carbon footprints, they are about elevating the quality of life for individuals and communities by making transportation smarter, safer, and more accessible. We believe in the power of partnerships and collaboration to continuously improve, listening to the needs of our customers to develop solutions to address their pain points. We constantly evolve to provide new ideas and solutions in the e-mobility world. We invest to better support our customers by thinking global and acting local in meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow."

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Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) has partnered with Daimler India Commercial Vehicles to launch a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative aimed at training and certifying 240 Heavy Commercial Vehicle drivers across Assam, Maharashtra, Jharkhand and Andhra Pradesh.

The programme focuses on expanding the pool of commercial vehicle drivers, improving road safety standards, and providing employment opportunities for candidates.

Under the implementation agreement, 60 candidates in each of the four states will participate in a residential training programme featuring classroom instruction, practical driving and simulator learning.

Daimler India Commercial Vehicles is providing training, residential facilities, meals, licensing support, assessments, certification, insurance and impact studies. ASDC will oversee industry linkages and placement support for certified drivers, alongside conducting three months of post-placement follow-up to track employment retention rates.

Vinkesh Gulati, Chairperson, ASDC, said, "Skilled commercial vehicle drivers are essential to India’s logistics network and economic growth. Skilling for road safety must be an integral part of their preparation, equipping drivers with defensive driving techniques, an understanding of traffic rules and the ability to handle heavy vehicles responsibly. Through this partnership with Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, we aim to prepare 240 young people for professional driving careers by combining practical training, recognised certification and employment assistance. Our goal is to create livelihood opportunities while developing competent, safety-conscious drivers who contribute to safer roads for everyone."

Torsten Schmidt, Managing Director and CEO, Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, said, "At DICV, we believe drivers are the backbone of India's economy, keeping goods moving and communities connected across the country. As the transport sector evolves, professionally trained, safety-conscious drivers are more important than ever. Through this initiative with ASDC, we are investing in skills that not only improve employability but also foster a culture of responsible driving and road safety. By equipping aspiring drivers with the right knowledge, practical expertise and a safety mindset, we are helping build a stronger logistics ecosystem while contributing to safer roads and a more resilient nation."

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John Deere India has sold over 100,000 tractors in India within a single Deere fiscal year, marking an operational milestone in its domestic business.

The achievement reflects the expansion of farm mechanisation across Indian agriculture and the adoption of the company's equipment across varied agro-climatic conditions and crop applications.

In addition to serving domestic requirements, John Deere's Indian operations act as an export hub, supplying tractors and machinery from India to over 110 countries. The company has maintained an operational presence in India for more than 28 years, supported by tractor manufacturing facilities in Pune and Dewas, engineering and enterprise technology centres in Pune, IT hubs in Pune and Bengaluru, parts distribution centres in Nagpur and Indore, and financial services operations in Pune.

Rajesh Sinha, Managing Director and Country Manager of John Deere India, and Strategic Advisor to the President, Construction & Forestry Worldwide, said, "Selling more than 100,000 tractors in a year is not just a business milestone; it is a reflection of the confidence that Indian farmers and channel partners place in John Deere. We remain committed to supporting farmers with reliable equipment, advanced technology and solutions that help improve productivity, profitability and sustainability."

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