Q: Congratulations on assuming the charge of the President of FADA. What are your immediate priorities?

Gulati: Thank you!

The past eight to nine months have been a challenging time for the entire humanity and every business sector. It has been a difficult phase for the dealer fraternity too. We have worked in very adverse conditions with zero business and zero earnings, along with a high operational cost. Post reopening of dealerships, proper decontamination and sanitisation of the entire premises, vehicles, employees, etc., have added cost to dealers who were already seeing slow sales for over 18 months in the pre-COVID era.

We are a resilient lot, and COVID has taught us to make tough decisions to ensure that our business and community survive, while offering the best of our services to customers. During my tenure, I will rigorously take up all our dealer issues at every possible platform and offer the association the finest representation, better visibility and hearing, offering a competitive business and operational environment to our fraternity.

The automobile industry has been an important driving force in India’s economic growth. Reviving the automobile industry is vital to regain lost momentum in the economy. The Government and the sector need to work together to strengthen the industry, wherein the dealer fraternity is an important element in the system.

One of the key issues which we will be working upon is improving dealer margins. Over the years, profitability has dwindled due to high costs and low operating margins.

Auto dealerships in India are operating at an average net profit level of 0.5 percent to one percent of the total turnover, which is much lower than the global standard, as internationally, dealer margins range from seven percent to 12 percent on selling price of the vehicle.

We have already written to SIAM about this, and we will further strongly urge all our OEMs to make the dealer business more sustainable and shockproof.

While we were trying to bring auto dealers under the ambit of MSME, we will up the ante further and make sure that dealers are treated at par with other businesses who are reaping the benefits of being an MSME.

Further, as a category, 2-wheelers comprise 75 percent of the sales in India, and I am working to make an exclusive 2-wheeler vertical at FADA.

This will specifically work on the nuances of 2-wheeler dealership such as sub-dealers, brokers etc. The dynamics of 2-wheeler dealers are very different from 4-wheeler dealers and hence need special attention. As they say, fortune is at the bottom of the pyramid!

FADA will continue to take up issues concerning regulatory and legislative burdens, representing the dealer fraternity across every possible platform. We will continue to reach out to our principals and build strong relationships moving ahead.

Q: FADA has been working on increasing dealer margins for ages but ends up in a stalemate. Where is the issue? How are you going to tackle this?

Gulati: Yes, this is one issue which we have been working for many years, but efforts were not made concretely until sometimes back. It’s during the 2nd Auto Retail Conclave, when we brought up the issue to our executive committee, had a panel discussion exclusively on dealer margins. There onwards, we started building momentum with continues efforts in this direction, and a few months back we also did a study on dealer margin offered by individual OEM to their respective dealers across the product lineup. This was an eye-opener for the entire fraternity as nothing of this sort was brought out in the past; this showcased that Indian dealer’s community were working on a minimal margin which was way below the global standards.

I am happy to mention that post this study, few OEMs have reviewed their dealer margin, few are in discussion with their management and respective dealer council. However, the increased margins are still not at a level which we have been asking for, but a movement has started, which is quite encouraging for the entire community.

Dealership business has a significant daily expense which is addressed by the dealer from his marginal profit. A better profit margin will help the dealer to re-invest a subsequent amount of his earning for the development and expansion of his business, which in return will add up a new business to OEMs.

We will continue to do this kind of studies in times to come and also keep negotiating with our principals as they also understand that their first customers are not in good shape and they require higher margins to sustain their business.

Q: What according to you are the skill gaps persist in the automotive industry still and how FADA is addressing this?

Gulati: Skill gap is a subject which is never-ending as technology keep changing, and we need to make a continuous effort to upgrade our manpower. In recent time, the automobile industry has gone a long way in terms of technology upgrade.

To address this change, all the three auto Associations (Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), Federation of Indian Automobile Dealer Associations (FADA) and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM)) have come together in tune with National Skill Development Council and created ASDC (Automotive Skill Development Council) which looks to reduce the gap in between yesterday’s skills and today’s requirement. FADA has been making a continues effort to keep our dealership manpower at par with the newer technologies.

At FADA, we are starting up with a FADA Academy which will hold courses for Dealer Principals and their Chief Experience Officers to train them in running an efficient dealership business from all aspects.

Q: With more than 50 percent of the work in purchasing any vehicle done online, where do you see the role of dealers in the future? Do you see the new trend fuelling unemployment further?

Gulati: Getting prospective customers through the online route is a growing trend. Dealers and manufacturers have been active on online platforms for quite a long time now. The pandemic is the reason for this change in consumer behaviour. Earlier, customers had to visit dealerships several times before the final buy. e.g. all loan formalities, document verification, vehicle test drive etc. These are now offered online or at the doorstep. But for the final sale, customers have to visit the dealerships to test the vehicle and take delivery.

Today every customer is well informed. The vehicle-buying experience involves several steps, right from an online search, specific automobile website visits, going through views, reviews, product comparison, collecting information from peers, social media and users and evaluating a brand, product and its services.

Only after doing all these research consumers make their decision. It is not just a transaction for the customer, but more about in getting into a relationship of trust. That is where the dealerships come into play. Every customer wants to experience the vehicle physically before closing the deal. More importantly, they want to meet up face-to-face with the dealer and satisfy themselves before committing to this high-ticket purchase.

I don’t think there is any change in the playbook, but digital has now moved from “Nice to have” to Necessity. In this COVID era, with total lockdown, digital marketing has played a significant role in boosting sales and smooth execution. Every dealership has initiated digital training of its manpower, equipping them to conduct sales coordination through a digital platform. This initiative has further enhanced its sales and service reach. Dealerships must be the most frugal and flexible link across the automobile network.

Dealers and dealerships have always been the face of the brand and will continue to be so. I don’t see any immediate challenge or threat to the dealership business. However, with companies being more aggressive and active on online platforms, this will add on to dealership engagement with the brand and the customers, helping them further to enhance their sales and service reach and experience.

Q: What are the challenges you face with emerging technology trends like vehicle electrification?

Gulati: I don’t see vehicle electrification as a challenge for the dealer fraternity. The dealer community has been one of the most adaptable segments of the automobile ecosystem. We have always strived to keep ourselves at par with the manufacturers, and it’s business requirement, product and services utility. The dealer business is one business which significantly depends on its skilled workforce across the offerings such as sales, aftersales, engineering, etc. With every new product or technology, the dealer in association with its OEM partner makes certain that it initiates rigorous training for its employees so that it can offer the best service to its customers on behalf of the brand.

As far as vehicle electrification is concerned, India is still at a very initial level as electric PVs still have less than 0.25 percent market share. The EV segment requires immense Government support in terms of infrastructure, subsidy, allowance, recognition, etc., to get the segment to grow. I don’t want to comment on the technicalities of the segment and its products and services. Instead, on behalf of the entire dealer fraternity, I would like to assure that as a community we are committed to offering all necessary support and service to the Government for its vision about the EV industry.

Q: Episodes like FIAT & Peugeot (decades ago) and GM & MAN Trucks (in the recent past) etc., exiting the Indian market continues, leading the dealerships to lurch. What kind of safeguard mechanisms can we have to support the dealer community?

Gulati: Setting up a global brand dealership in India is a massive cost which varies from brands to segment, size of the dealership, region, location, etc. On an average setting up a premium 2-wheeler brand dealership cost somewhere around INR8-10 crore whereas setting up a premium 4-wheeler brand requires close to INR 20 - 30 crore. It is not just the setting up of a dealership which is a cost, the operation of a dealership is also a huge which involves day to day operational cost, vehicle stocking, employee salary etc. The dealer bears all this. As you know, the dealership business operates on a very minimal profit margin; any such activity by any brand ends up leading to capital loss along with loss of jobs in the sector. And now the pandemic poses another challenge for the dealer fraternity.

For example, the recent announcement by Harley-Davidson to discontinue its manufacturing and sales operations in India has left its Indian dealers stranded. This will result in the closure of 35 Harley-Davidson dealerships, with an approximate capital loss of INR 110-130 crores, besides also leading to a job loss of around 1,800-2,000 people at dealerships.

This is the fourth instance of automobile companies exiting India in the last three years (since 2017). Earlier, General Motors, MAN Truck and UM Lohia had quit their Indian operations, leaving their dealers in a similar fix. Due to FADA’s strong intervention and the Indian Government’s full-fledged support, General Motors and MAN Trucks had partially compensated their channel partners, but the UML matter remains unresolved till date.

Had there been a Franchise Protection Act in India, brands like these would not have abruptly closed their operations, leaving their channel partners and customers in the lurch.

We are already working on a draft with our legal team and have initiated communication with other retail associations to bring the Franchise law in India, which will support the dealer fraternity in the dire situation of an exit or termination.

We would also request the Government to initiate the law on priority as this law will help level the playing field for large international and domestic automakers and dealers and also help in regulating over-dealerisation.

Q: What kind of support/guidance FADA has given to its members to tide over the current situation triggered by the pandemic?

Gulati: These are unprecedented times. Everybody is making the best efforts to emerge from it in their own way. The auto dealership is one such business which was deeply impacted by COVID-19. The auto dealership is a very marginal profit business, and we do not have large funds like car and component manufacturers have, which makes it more difficult for us to emerge from this difficult time. The industry was already struggling with a 15 to 16-month slowdown, and the lockdown has pushed the entire industry further back.

FADA has provided all possible and necessary help to its dealer members. At the time of the lockdown, FADA wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to apprise him about the dealers’ issues and suggesting dealership survival and demand revival initiatives. Apart from this, FADA wrote a letter to SIAM making them aware of the situation of the dealers, requesting them to review the dealer margin and extend their support so that dealer can survive these difficult times. FADA quite actively worked to protect dealers from the loss on remaining stocks of BS-IV vehicles from the ban on the sale. The association petitioned the Supreme Court to extend the dateline for sale of these vehicles. At the same time, while securing the future of dealers, FADA demanded that car makers increase the dealer margin to five percent PBT and reduce the infrastructure cost by 25 percent.

FADA conducted online training for its dealer brothers, training them to prepare for maximum work with limited resources. (MT)

Eicher Motors, one of the leading manufacturers of two-wheelers and commercial vehicles, has announced its financial results for Q4 FY2026 and FY2026.

During Q4 FY2026, Royal Enfield sold 313,811 motorcycles, up 12 percent YoY, while VE Commercial Vehicles (VECV) reported sales of 33,976 units, as against 28,675 units a year ago.  The company reported INR 60.8 billion revenue, up 16 percent YoY, EBITDA of INR 15.14 billion, up 20 percent YoY and net profit of INR 15.20, up 12 percent YoY for Q4 FY2026.

For FY2026, Royal Enfield reported its highest-ever annual sales, surpassing 1.2 million units, up 22 percent YoY, which includes 1.10 million units in the domestic market, up 23 percent YoY.

The revenue came at INR 234 billion, up 24 percent YoY, EBITDA at INR 57.8 billion, up 23 percent YoY and profit after tax of INR 55.15 billion, up 17 percent YoY.

B. Govindarajan, Managing Director - Eicher Motors and CEO, Royal Enfield, said, “FY2026 has been an exceptional year for Eicher Motors and Royal Enfield, marked by strong growth, record volumes, and a continued focus on our global ambitions during our 125th anniversary. We achieved over one million motorcycle sales for the second consecutive year and recorded our best-ever festive season, with record volumes in both domestic and international markets. We also marked a major milestone in April ‘26 with our entry into the electric mobility space via the launch of the Flying Flea C6. International business remains a key priority as we steadily deepen our presence in markets like Brazil. This year, we also took the brand into new cultural spaces - ranging from gaming collaborations to marquee community rides - that strengthen our global identity. To power our next phase of growth, we have committed to significant investments, including the brownfield capacity expansion at Cheyyar with INR 9.58 billion and our strategic expansion plan at Tada in Andhra Pradesh, both aimed at building future-ready capacity to support our long-term projected growth.”

B Srinivas. Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, VECV, said, “Crossing the milestone of 1,00,000 vehicles in a year is a significant achievement for VECV and reflects the trust our customers have placed in our products and solutions. This milestone also fulfills a key part of the original vision set at the inception of the Volvo–Eicher joint venture, underscoring the strength and long-term strategic direction of our partnership. During the year, VECV launched several innovative solutions in the rapidly evolving Indian CV Industry -including the Eicher Pro X Small Truck for city distribution, 12 m Eicher electric intercity coach, electric Tarmac Buses and the Volvo FM LNG Road Train specially designed for long haul logistics. As we move forward, we remain committed to driving the next phase of growth through innovation, sustainability, and deeper customer engagement.”

Austrian cleantech startup REPS has raised USD 23.6 million in an equity financing round to scale its patented Road Energy Production System. The technology integrates into existing road infrastructure to capture kinetic energy from moving vehicles and convert it into electricity.

The system is designed to install directly into road surfaces without disrupting traffic flow. It targets high-traffic locations where vehicles naturally slow down, brake or experience forces from slopes, such as ports, logistics hubs and industrial sites.

According to the company, the mechanical energy lost through traffic could theoretically address around 5 percent of global electricity demand. The technology features a converter built on a permanent magnetic bearing combined with electromagnetic induction, which operates without conventional mechanical friction and conventional wear.

REPS has been running its first commercial system at the Port of Hamburg since November 2025. Over a 6-month period, more than 115,000 trucks crossed the system, generating over 6,700 kWh of electricity under real traffic conditions. Following the deployment, the company has engaged with over 90 parties across the port industry in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America.

Internal projections suggest that installing 230 systems on public roads across the Port of Hamburg could generate 10 GWh of electricity annually, offsetting nearly 10 percent of the CO2 emissions caused by port traffic.

Alfons Huber, Founder and CEO, REPS, said, “Roads are everywhere. Traffic is everywhere. What was previously wasted energy can now be transformed into clean electricity through REPS. We spent six years developing the technology. Now the scaling phase begins. The strong demand from ports and logistics operators worldwide confirms the need for our solution, and with this financing round we can now scale at the speed required by the energy transition.”

Justin Karnbach, CEO, Hamburger Container Service, added, "The installation at our facility demonstrates the potential of REPS: where vehicles have to brake anyway, clean energy is recovered and can be used directly where we need it. Without any interference with traffic and without additional space."

Jens Maier, CEO, Hamburg Port Authority (HPA) and President of the International Association of Ports and Harbors, noted, “We can't wait to see REPS in action - not just in the Port of Hamburg, but throughout the city and far beyond, all over the world. The Port of Hamburg aims to achieve climate neutrality by 2040. HPA actively supports this ambition by implementing innovative technologies. REPS is a future-orientated technology that generates electricity from previously unused energy sources, making a significant contribution toward achieving climate neutrality. With its high volume of truck movements and its role as a central logistics hub, the Port of Hamburg offers ideal conditions to test technologies like REPS under real-world conditions.”

Elisabeth Zehetner, State Secretary for Energy, Startups and Tourism, Austria, said, “Start-ups are no longer a side topic, they are the innovation lab of our economy. This is where technologies like REPS from Austria are created. REPS is innovation made in Austria and showcases what our founders are capable of: they don’t just make small adjustments; they transform entire systems. A road becomes a power plant, and existing infrastructure becomes a building block for a sustainable future. Our role in politics is clear: we must ensure that start-ups find the right framework conditions in Austria. With the Start-up Umbrella Fund, we aim to make sure that innovation is financed, developed, and scaled here in Austria and Europe instead of eventually returning to us as an import from the U.S. or Asia”

LTM, an AI-centric global technology services company and part of the Larsen & Toubro Group, has issued an offer to acquire Randstad’s Technology and Consulting Services business across France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and Australia.

The transaction represents more than USD 500 million (EUR 469 million) in annual revenue and is intended to scale domain-driven solutions and AI services within these regions.

The proposed acquisition will expand LTM’s market presence in the aerospace, defence, automotive, utilities and banking and financial services (BFS) sectors. The integration is expected to bring localised domain expertise and regional capabilities in digital engineering, cybersecurity and the Internet of Things (IoT). These operations will be supported by onshore and nearshore delivery centres located in Romania and Portugal.

The transaction is part of a broader collaboration between the two companies. This includes a five-year IT services partnership to drive AI-enabled transformation for Randstad’s Global Capability Center in India, alongside a strategic talent Managed Services Provider (MSP) agreement to support LTM’s expanding workforce.

The acquisition will be executed through LTM’s wholly owned subsidiary, LTIMindtree UK and remains subject to regulatory approvals and customary closing conditions.

Venu Lambu, CEO & MD, LTM, said, “The proposed agreement is aligned with our five-year strategy to build a more resilient, diversified, balanced portfolio. By combining our global AI-centric capabilities with local context and industry depth, this acquisition would strengthen our ability to deliver compliant, domain-driven AI services and sovereign solutions in markets that are strategically important to us. This 360°partnership with Randstad would be a key step forward in our growth journey.”

Sander van ‘t Noordende, CEO, Randstad, added, “The proposed agreement marks a deliberate step in our Partner For Talent strategy. By partnering with LTM, we would ensure our clients continue to receive world-class services while we streamline our portfolio to invest in growth segments and digital marketplaces that offer the most scale and value. We are equally excited to partner with LTM in India, where their AI expertise will be instrumental in evolving our digital capabilities.”

European auto major Stellantis has unveiled its FaSTLAne 2030 strategy, which will see it invest around EUR 60 billion over the course of the next five years.

The aim is to accelerate growth and profit, prioritising customer centrality and capital allocation across its global regions and brands.

Antonio Filosa, CEO, Stellantis, said, “FaSTLAne 2030 is the result of months of disciplined work across the Company and is designed to drive long-term profitable growth. With the customer at the centre of everything we do, the plan will deliver our purpose – ‘to move people with brands and products they love and trust’ – powered by our unique combination of strengths.”

The strategy focuses on an overhaul of the brand portfolio to improve capital efficiency, leading to more than 60 vehicle launches and 50 refreshes by 2030. The company will direct 70 percent of its product investments towards its four global brands – Jeep, Ram, Peugeot and FIAT – and its commercial vehicle unit, Pro One.

Its regional brands, including Chrysler, Dodge, Citroen, Opel and Alfa Romeo, will share global assets, while DS and Lancia will be managed as specialty brands. Maserati will add two vehicles to its lineup.

Filosa noted, “Every brand in Stellantis will play a clear role in delivering our FaSTLAne 2030 commitments.”

Stellantis will allocate over EUR 24 billion to global platforms, powertrains and technologies, including the new STLA One architecture. By 2030, half of its annual volumes will be produced on three global platforms. The company will also deploy its software and autonomous driving architectures – STLA Brain, STLA SmartCockpit, and STLA AutoDrive – starting in 2027.

The plan incorporates new and expanded corporate partnerships to access markets and share manufacturing capacity.

Through Leapmotor International, Stellantis will share capacity at its Madrid and Zaragoza plants in Spain. A joint venture with Dongfeng will produce Peugeot and Jeep models for China, while a European joint venture with Dongfeng will handle distribution and capacity sharing at the Rennes plant in France.

Stellantis is also working with Tata Motors to improve supply chain synergies in the Asia-Pacific, Middle East, Africa and South America regions, and will explore technology collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover in the United States.

Manufacturing capacity utilisation will be adjusted across regions, with European capacity expected to decrease by more than 800,000 units to raise utilisation from 60 percent to 80 percent by 2030. US capacity utilisation is also projected to reach 80 percent by 2030.

To improve execution, Stellantis aims to reduce vehicle development cycles to 24 months and implement a Value Creation Program to cut annual costs by EUR 6 billion by 2028.

“The success of FaSTLAne 2030 is built upon the great talent and strong commitment of our Stellantis team. We will execute as one team, hands-on, to deliver incremental, profitable growth for the benefit of all our stakeholders,” added Filosa.

Regional targets under the plan include 25 percent revenue growth in North America, supported by 11 vehicles. Enlarged Europe targets 15 percent revenue growth, featuring a new generation of electric vehicles built at the Pomigliano d'Arco plant in Italy. South America aims for 10 percent revenue growth via a pickup offensive, while the Middle East and Africa targets 40 percent revenue growth through local manufacturing. The Asia-Pacific region will focus on asset-light growth to support export requirements.