Sonalika Tractors, India's leading tractor export brand, achieved a new record for domestic year-to-date (YTD) sales in FY25, selling 63,136 tractors. This includes a sevenfold increase above industry performance and highlights the brand's ongoing competence in bringing farmer-centric innovative agricultural solutions to the world's largest tractor market.

Sonalika's has become a household name for over 1.7 million farmer households with its agility and quickness in delivering tailored tractors that assure plentiful harvests for farmers. The brand's dedication to increasing farm mechanisation aligns with the Central Government's recent push to leverage technology to develop novel agricultural solutions that boost production. Sonalika has already begun its annual 'Sonalika Heavy Duty Dhamaka' promotion to assist farmers in adopting cutting-edge farm technology at optimal rates and celebrating success throughout all seasons.

Raman Mittal, Joint Managing Director, International Tractors Limited, said, “Every farmer’s demand is unique and therefore, a distinctive approach of developing customised farm solutions is essential and already deeply inscribed in our DNA. Our unique proposition for the tractor industry has enabled us to record our highest ever domestic YTD sales of 63,136 tractors and continuously gain market share in India. This includes a staggering 7X growth over industry performance and validates that adopting optimised farm technologies in tractors is fast taking centre stage in the farming community. The successful decade completion of ‘Make-in-India’ initiative has brought in the world focus on quality manufacturing in India, and we have been a proud home-grown brand to have been leading India’s growth story in tractors as No. 1 tractor export brand. The recent push of the Central Government towards adoption of technology in agriculture is in line with Sonalika's commitment to increase productivity powered by farm mechanisation. We are more than ready to make sure that farmers remain equipped with the best heavy-duty tractors and will continue with our innovative journey.”

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India’s transportation sector recorded growth across vehicle categories in September 2026, driven by festive dispatches and core sector demand, according to the Shriram Mobility Bulletin.

Truck rentals remained stable across key trunk routes, remaining above levels recorded during the same period in the previous year.

The company finds that on a MoM basis, rentals on the Bengaluru–Mumbai–Bengaluru route grew by 1.3 percent, followed by the Delhi–Mumbai–Delhi route at 1.1 percent and the Delhi–Hyderabad–Delhi route at 1 percent.

The YoY perspective showed increases on all monitored routes, led by Delhi–Kolkata–Delhi at 13 percent, Bengaluru–Mumbai–Bengaluru at 11 percent and Kolkata–Guwahati–Kolkata at 10 percent.

Vehicle dispatches reflected sequential expansion in core industries. Construction equipment sales rose 31 percent MoM, earth-moving equipment increased 17 percent and goods carriers grew 13 percent. Passenger cars and two-wheelers each recorded a 4 percent sequential rise, whereas agricultural tractors fell 15 percent and commercial tractors declined 22 percent.

On a YoY basis, maxi cab sales grew 75 percent, three-wheeler goods vehicles rose 63 percent and goods carriers increased 40 percent. Agricultural trailers recorded a year-on-year decline of 27 percent.

Electric vehicle adoption increased across all monitored segments. Electric two-wheelers recorded a 13 percent MoM rise and a 111 percent YoY gain. Electric passenger cars grew 12 percent sequentially and 143 percent YoY, while electric three-wheelers increased 8 percent MoM and 113 percent YoY.

Sudarshan Holla, Joint MD & COO, Commercial Vehicles, Shriram Finance, said, "Firm truck rentals amid festive dispatches, strong two-wheeler demand, accelerating EV adoption, and healthy sales of heavy-duty trucks and construction equipment all point to resilient economic activity. Importantly, the strength seen in commercial vehicles and construction equipment indicates continued momentum in infrastructure and core sectors, reinforcing a positive outlook for the broader economy. Concerns of a potential interest rate increase during the festive season may be a sentiment dampener."

Interestingly, fuel consumption data showed a 2 percent sequential rise in diesel use alongside a 5 percent decline in petrol consumption. On a YoY basis, petrol and diesel consumption increased by 7.2 percent and 4.9 percent, respectively. FASTag collections fell 3.9 percent in volume and 1.2 percent in value MoM, though YoY collection value increased by 11 percent.

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FlixBus has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, on World Tourism Day to promote domestic destinations and advocate responsible tourism practices across its intercity transport network.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Tourism Minister, Bhuvnesh Kumar, Secretary and Suman Billa, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Tourism.

Under the agreement, FlixBus will integrate destination content and Incredible India branding across its digital platforms, while deploying co-branded coaches on select intercity routes.

FlixBus has launched ‘Trails of India,’ a dedicated microsite showcasing thematic travel circuits and regional destination highlights. The partnership also includes a national campaign titled ‘Har Safar, Swachh Safar,’ aimed at encouraging environmental awareness, community respect, and sustainable practices among intercity passengers in alignment with the government's Mission LiFE initiative. Additionally, FlixBus will participate in policy dialogues to share international insights on intercity mobility and tourism development.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said, "India’s tourism landscape is as diverse as the country itself, with countless destinations offering distinctive cultural, natural and local experiences beyond the well-known tourist circuits. Enabling travellers to access and explore these destinations more easily is key to unlocking their wider tourism potential. Our partnership with FlixBus brings together its technology-enabled platform and intercity network with the Ministry’s vision of taking India’s tourism story to a wider audience. As we connect travellers with a broader range of destinations, it is equally important to foster greater awareness of responsible travel, encouraging journeys that are enriching for visitors while contributing positively to the local communities and destinations they encounter. We believe this partnership can help open up new avenues for destination discovery while promoting a more conscious and inclusive travel experience."

Bhuvnesh Kumar said, "Mobility can play a transformative role in bringing destinations closer to travellers, particularly those that lie beyond the established tourism circuits. FlixBus’s technology-driven approach and growing intercity network offer an opportunity to reach travellers at scale and connect them with a wider range of destinations and tourism experiences across India. Through this partnership, we also have an opportunity to use the travel journey itself to build greater awareness around responsible tourism and encourage travellers to be more mindful of the places they visit and the communities they interact with. By bringing together destination discovery, accessibility and responsible travel, we hope to create greater value for travellers while supporting tourism opportunities across India."

Surya Khurana, Managing Director, FlixBus India, said, "At FlixBus, we believe mobility is a powerful catalyst for tourism, economic development and cultural exchange. We are proud to partner with the Ministry of Tourism in supporting the Incredible India campaign through a collaboration that goes beyond transportation to strengthen India's tourism ecosystem. By combining our technology platform, global expertise and growing domestic network, we aim to enhance the visibility of Indian destinations, encourage travel beyond traditional circuits and contribute to a more connected, responsible and resilient tourism landscape."

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Toyota Motor Corporation has launched the new Sora fuel cell route bus, developed in partnership with Isuzu Motors. The vehicle combines Isuzu's battery-electric full-flat route bus platform with Toyota's fuel cell system as part of joint efforts to achieve zero-emission public transportation.

The updated bus utilises a commercial-grade fuel cell stack and a large-capacity battery, reducing total hydrogen tank capacity by approximately 20 percent while increasing operating range to over 300km on a single fill. The fuel cell stack and hydrogen tanks are mounted on the roof structure to facilitate vehicle maintenance for bus operators.

The company claims that refuelling takes approximately 10 minutes, with support for high-speed filling standards designed to reduce refuelling times as compatible station infrastructure develops. As of September 2026, Toyota has supplied over 3,500 fuel cell systems across commercial buses, rail, and stationary generator applications globally.

Safety systems on the new Sora include an Emergency Driver Stop System linked with a Driver Status Monitor, which decelerates and stops the vehicle while engaging the parking brake if driver impairment is detected. A front blind spot monitor alerts the driver to pedestrians and cyclists ahead of the vehicle.

The passenger compartment features a step-free full-flat floor layout, optional one-touch wheelchair securement systems, and four seating configurations across urban and suburban variants. The bus can also function as an emergency power source during disaster events when connected to an external power supply unit.

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Pune-headquartered automotive company Force Motors has reported its wholesales for September 2026, selling 4,027 units last month, marking a 62 percent YoY, as compared to 2,486 units in September 2025.

The company said it witnessed volume growth across the month driven by customer demand across multiple vehicle lines. The sales were supported by market adoption of the Force Traveller N Range, increased adoption of the Urbania Deluxe within the shared mobility sector and volume contributions from the Trax model line.

Prasan Firodia, MD, Force Motors, said: "September has been a positive month for us, with healthy demand across our key products. The new Traveller N Range is witnessing encouraging market acceptance, while the new Urbania Deluxe continues to gain traction. These trends reinforce our confidence in the strength of our product portfolio and our understanding of customer needs. As we enter the festive season, we look forward to building on this momentum and continuing to serve our customers with products that meet their evolving needs."

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