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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Tata Motors has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOCPA) to deploy 40 heavy-duty trucks powered by Green Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines (H2 ICE). The agreement was signed in the presence of Sarbananda Sonowal, Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways.

The project involves a trial phase with a single hydrogen-powered prime mover, followed by the deployment of the remaining fleet over the next two years. Funding for the initiative is provided by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways as part of a national strategy to decarbonise maritime logistics.

To support the fleet, VOCPA is developing a 2 MW electrolyser and a hydrogen refuelling station within the port. The trucks selected for this deployment are Tata Prima 55-tonne prime movers. These vehicles utilise H2 ICE technology, which adapts internal combustion principles to run on hydrogen instead of diesel, aiming for zero-tailpipe CO2 emissions.

The Prima trucks include driver-assist safety features and cabins designed to reduce fatigue during cargo handling operations. Tata Motors previously initiated hydrogen truck trials on freight corridors in 2025 and currently operates 15 hydrogen fuel cell buses in India.

Susanta Kumar Purohit, Chairperson, VOCPA, said, “Our partnership with Tata Motors marks a transformative step in VOC Port’s push to achieve net-zero emissions. The deployment of green hydrogen-powered trucks will significantly decarbonise our cargo handling operations while setting a benchmark for sustainable port-led logistics in India. To support the phased induction of these Green Hydrogen trucks, the port is also progressing plans to establish a 2 MW electrolyzer and a dedicated hydrogen refueling station. This project along with various other initiatives related to green fuels reinforces our commitment towards building a robust green hydrogen ecosystem and positioning VOC Port as a leader in sustainable maritime infrastructure.”

Rajesh Kaul, Vice-President and Business Head – Trucks, Tata Motors, said, “Our collaboration with V.O. Chidambaranar Port Association marks an important milestone in bringing hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucking into real-world port operations. Over the past several months, we have worked closely with the port authorities to assess pathways for hydrogen trucks in cargo handling applications. This pilot will help demonstrate the potential of assessing the TCO parity and with Green Hydrogen in supporting the transition of India’s ports towards cleaner and more sustainable logistics solutions.”

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SANY is set to make a significant impact at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 trade show, taking place at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The company will present its most comprehensive portfolio to date for the North American market, featuring an expansive display of machinery, digital technology and service capabilities. Operating under the theme ‘Together, We Move the Future Forward’, SANY will highlight the convergence of robust performance, intelligent innovation and lasting customer relationships as key drivers for the industry's evolution.

Visitors to Booth F44054 will encounter an impressive lineup of 32 machines and 17 attachments, with the spotlight on 10 newly introduced models engineered specifically for North American requirements. Among these, the SY10U Mini Excavator stands out for its zero tail swing design, providing exceptional manoeuvrability in confined spaces. Its operation is enhanced by a full hydraulic load sensing system, a suspension seat and wide armrests, ensuring a premium operator experience. The larger SY335LC Medium Excavator is powered by a substantial 9L Cummins engine generating 209 kilowatts. This powertrain delivers 204 kN of bucket force and 153 kN of arm force, resulting in digging performance that is both powerful and precise for its class.

In the lifting category, the SCA3300A Lattice Boom Crawler Crane incorporates a smart windshield that automatically adjusts its tint based on sunlight intensity. It also offers an optional auxiliary power unit designed to optimise energy savings and lower emissions. Similarly, the SCA1100TB Telescopic Crawler Crane features an optional APU to reduce fuel consumption and engine wear, while a 360-degree surround view monitoring system enhances safety during lifts. The new generation SW940L Wheel Loader integrates a Cummins B6.7 engine with ZF transmission and drive axles. Its advanced full electronic control system ensures compatibility with mainstream attachments and enables intelligent functions like automatic limit control, one-touch bucket shake, parallel lift, tyre pressure monitoring and smart attachment selection and positioning. The STH5519 Telehandler comes standard with reversing radar and load moment protection. An integrated multifunction joystick is designed to improve operational efficiency by 20 percent, while a stability coefficient exceeding 1.3 promotes safer lifting operations.

Beyond the equipment itself, SANY will demonstrate a suite of intelligent solutions aimed at minimising downtime and maximising productivity. These include the SANY AI Service Assistant, which provides intelligent diagnostics, interactive fault identification and quick parts identification for efficient maintenance. The SANY RootPilot system offers high precision 3D guidance for smarter and faster construction processes. In a compelling live demonstration, SANY will remotely control an excavator located in Huzhou, China, directly from its US showroom, a distance of over 6,500 miles, using AI-assisted technology with one-click digging and loading capabilities. These technological demonstrations will be complemented by a showcase of SANY's comprehensive service capabilities, all designed to ensure equipment operates smoothly and reliably.

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Companies from the commercial vehicle, transport and logistics sectors are set to present their latest transport and logistics solutions at IAA TRANSPORTATION in Hannover from 15 to 20 September 2026. The organisers state that early registration data indicate an 11 percent increase in exhibitors compared to the same period in 2024, with several exhibition halls already overbooked.

The event maintains an international exhibitor rate of 70 percent, with significant representation from China, Turkey and Italy. Notably, 23 percent of the participants are attending the trade fair for the first time.

Renault Trucks and Mercedes-Benz Vans have confirmed their return to the event. They join a roster of manufacturers including BYD, DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Dongfeng, Ford Trucks, KIA, MAN Truck & Bus, Scania, VW Commercial Vehicles and Volvo Trucks. New participants for 2026 include e-van manufacturer FLEXIS and charging infrastructure provider Zerova.

Suppliers currently form the largest exhibitor group. Participating firms include Robert Bosch, BPW Bergische Achsen, MAHLE and the ZF Group. Body manufacturers such as Fliegl Fahrzeugbau, Krone Trailer and Schmitz Cargobull will also be present to showcase global products.

The IAA Conference will address industry trends such as fleet electrification, charging infrastructure, automated transport, AI and hydrogen solutions. A dedicated area will also be provided for startups to present ideas for the transport sector.

The IAA Experience allows visitors to trial innovations through four formats:

• Test Drives: Supervised trials of zero-emission light and heavy commercial vehicles on public roads or the grounds.
• ADAS & Telematics: Practical demonstrations of driver assistance systems.
• Cargobike Parcours: A testing environment for cargo bike innovations.
• Shuttle Bus: A loop service using vehicle innovations to connect exhibition halls.

Jurgen Mindel, Managing Director, VDA, said, "The once again strong resonance from leading companies all over the world impressively shows how committed our industry is to shaping a sustainable future for the commercial vehicle and transport sectors. In 2024, exhibitors at IAA TRANSPORTATION already set new standards as drivers of innovation. In 2026, we are coming back and proving once again: we deliver. As organisers, we are pleased to offer this progressive industry a fitting stage for their innovations once more."

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Swaraj Tractors, part of the Mahindra Group, has renewed its partnership with former Indian Cricket team captain MS Dhoni as the brand ambassador. The association began after the former Indian cricket captain purchased a Swaraj tractor for his personal farm operations.

The partnership enters a phase focused on brand evolution and visibility. Swaraj Tractors intends to use Dhoni’s image to support upcoming product introductions designed for the requirements of farmers in India.

To mark the extension of the agreement, Swaraj Tractors has launched a digital video campaign (DVC) titled ‘Bharosa’. The campaign focuses on three core pillars – power, trust and reliability.

Dhoni will feature in integrated campaigns across multiple platforms. The brand aims to maintain its legacy while adopting a contemporary outlook to engage with progressive segments of the agricultural market.

Gaganjot Singh, CEO, Swaraj Division Mahindra & Mahindra, said, “MS Dhoni reflects the ethos of Swaraj — dependable, authentic, and consistently focused on performance. This partnership has helped us strengthen our connect with customers while reinforcing the values that define the brand. As we move ahead, his association will play an important role in building greater resonance for Swaraj across markets and supporting our efforts to present the brand with contemporary outlook and energy while staying true to its legacy.”

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