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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JK Tyre & Industries Ltd launched four new Off-the-Road (OTR) tyres at Excon 2025 in Bengluru. Unveiled by Dr R Mukhopadhyay, Director (R&D), JK Tyre, the four new OTR tyres further expand the company's portfolio in construction and mining equipment. 
The Sky Grip tyre for example is engineered specifically for Aerial Work Platforms (AWPs) and Boom Lifts used across construction, infrastructure maintenance, warehousing and industrial operations. The 355/55D625 Sky Grip tyre is designed to offer enhanced stability, superior traction and consistent performance at elevated working heights and is compatible with articulated and telescopic boom lifts, telehandlers and even rough terrain aerial platform. 
The three other OTR tyres are designed for critical industrial and mining applications. The 14.00-25 GTL Plus, for example, is a backhoe loader tyre that offers strong stability, durability and dependable performance during frequent loading and excavation operations. The 23.5-25 GTL Plus variant, on the other hand, supports wheel loaders with improved traction and endurance on demanding surfaces. F
or underground mining requirements, the 14.00-20 VEM AS-UG OTR tyre features a reinforced casing and specialised compound designed to withstand abrasive environments and the rigorous duty cycles of shuttle cars.
“India is witnessing a transformative phase in infrastructure development, and JK Tyre remains committed to support this journey. With the launch of our new OTR range at EXCON, we are strengthening our support for equipment that powers critical infrastructure, enabling greater productivity, durability and operational safety across the country’s construction, mining and industrial projects," averred Srinivasu Allaphan, Director-Sales & Marketing, JK Tyre & Industries. 

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Mahindra’s Construction Equipment business (MCE) launched the Compax mini compactor at EXcon 2025 in Bengluru. The mini compactor, aimed at the road construction industry, packs cutting edge techbology to deliver best-in-cass fuel efficiency and reliability. It is built robust and furthers the standards in the category to ensure better returns to the operators. 

“Mahindra commercial vehicles and construction equipment machines are known for their cutting-edge technology, best-in-class fuel efficiency, robust built and reliability that helps deliver substantially higher earnings and profitability for our customers. The new Mahindra COMPAX reflects the same Mahindra DNA and is poised to deliver higher profits and prosperity to our customers. Our deep understanding of the challenges of the Indian infrastructure ecosystem and strong capabilities of indigenous manufacturing makes our machines, including the new mini compactor, an ideal choice for demanding compaction tasks,” said Dr Venkat Srinivas, Business Head – Mahindra Truck, Bus and Construction Equipment, and Executive Director & CEO, SML Mahindra Ltd. 

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Tata Motors unveiled a diverse portfolio of construction and mining solutions at Excon 2025 in Bengaluru. Under the theme,‘Productivity Unleashed’, the company showcased heavy-duty, future-ready vehicles designed to enhance operational efficiency and fleet profitability such as the Prima 3540.K AutoShift, the flgship tipper engineered for deep mining applications. The all-electric Prima E.28K and Signa 2820.TK CNG were complemented by the Signa 4832.TK,  48-tonne, five-axle tipper equipped with a 32 sq. m load body designed for coal movement; Prima 3532.TK with a 26 sq m load body; Prima 3532.TK for construction aggregates surface transportation and Prima E.55S, an electric prime mover engineered to decarbonise logistics operations. 
The company, which demerged from the passenger vehicle business to puruse a stronger and more focused growth recenty, also displayed a range of aggregates and gensets. 

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Ashok Leyland introduced two advanced engine families designed for the off-highway and industrial sectors at EXCON 2025. The company, a prominent commercial vehicle manufacturer under the Hinduja Group, revealed its new P15 and H4 Unipack engines, both fully meeting the rigorous CEV Stage V emission standards. These powertrains are built for durability, high performance and operational efficiency.

The P15 engine, available in 49 and 55 horsepower options, suits compact equipment like skid-steer loaders, forklifts and mini compactors. Its lightweight and compact architecture provides substantial pulling power alongside lower fuel usage. This platform offers versatility through a high-speed non-emission variant for faster cycle times and a CNG option for cleaner energy needs.

Engineered for more demanding roles, the H4 Unipack series delivers 55 and 74 horsepower for applications such as backhoe loaders. It is built to endure challenging environments, featuring reliable cold-start capability and maintained performance at altitudes reaching 5,500 metres, all while complying with strict emission regulations.

Beyond these core engines, Ashok Leyland displayed a broader portfolio of innovative solutions at the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre event. This included the heavy-duty 380 horsepower A6 Series CRS Engine and the future-focused H6 Series, which features hydrogen and flex-fuel capabilities. The exhibition also highlighted a 133 horsepower H6 engine, a diesel genset, a compact exhaust after-treatment system and simplified airless DEF tank solutions. These introductions underscore the company’s dedication to pioneering engineering and tailored customer solutions, manufactured in world-class facilities aligned with global quality benchmarks.

Amandeep Singh, President – LCV, International Operations, Defence & Power Solutions, said, "Our customers need solutions that keep their operations running smoothly and cost-effectively. The new P15 and H4 Unipack engines deliver higher power, better fuel efficiency and proven reliability. This launch strengthens our commitment to innovation and supports India’s ‘Make in India’ vision."

Sathyanandan M, Head – Power Solutions, said, "Our engineering expertise continues to drive innovation in the industrial engine space. We understand the challenges faced in the construction and industrial sectors. These new engines are versatile, durable and easy to integrate across various equipment categories. Our aim is simple: to help businesses work smarter and achieve more with solutions they can rely on."

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