As the news of a seven-seater C-segment SUV being tested by Nissan in India gathers speed (besides the news that Renault will launch the new Duster as the Bigster in the next few months), the Renault Group and Nissan have announced new strategic projects. 
The most important of these is the restructuring of the Indian Renault Nissan Alliance entity with Renault Group buying out the 51 percent stake of Nissan, making Renault Nissan Automotive India Private Ltd (RNAIPL) its fully owned subsidiary. 
Despite this change, Nissan will maintain its presence in India with a strong focus on enhancing market coverage. RNAIPL will continue to support Nissan’s production of models, including the New Nissan Magnite in India. 
With Nissan choosing Renault Group to develop and produce a derivative of Twingo that it has designed, the restructuring of the Indian business that was until now a well-honed alliance effort with almost equal-equal investment by both the auto makers, the Renault Group and Nissan have entered into a new alliance agreement that would increase the flexibility of each of the two regarding their cross-shareholdings. This would be done by setting the lock-up undertaking at 10 percent instead of the current 15 percent. 
Nissan would be released from its commitment to invest in Ampere while continuing the agreed product projects.
 Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group, commented on the significant development: “As a long-time partner of Nissan within the Alliance and as its main shareholder, Renault Group has a strong interest in seeing Nissan turnaround its performance as quickly as possible. Pragmatism and business-oriented mindset were at the core of our discussions to identify the most effective ways of supporting their recovery plan while developing value-creating business opportunities for Renault Group. This Framework Agreement, beneficial for both parties, is the proof of the agile and efficient mindset of the new Alliance. It also confirms the attractiveness of our products with Twingo as well as our ambition to grow our business on international markets. India is a key automotive market and Renault Group will put in place an efficient industrial footprint and ecosystem.”
 “Nissan is committed to preserving the value and benefits of our strategic partnership within the Alliance while implementing turnaround measures to enhance efficiencies. Our goal is to create a more agile and effective business model that allows us to respond quickly to changing market conditions and conserve cash for future investments. We remain committed to the Indian market, delivering vehicles tailored to local consumer needs while ensuring top-notch sales and service for our existing and future customers. India will remain a hub for our research and development, digital and other knowledge services. Our plans for new SUVs in the India market remain intact, and we will continue our vehicle exports to other markets under the “One Car, One World” business strategy for India," said Ivan Espinosa, President and CEO of Nissan. 
 

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TVS Racing has announced that the third season of the TVS Apache Racing Experience GP (ARE) International will begin on 15 November 2026, marking the widest reach yet for the customer-focused championship. The 2026–27 series will visit seven nations – India, Mexico, Colombia, Nepal, Morocco, Egypt and Ivory Coast – as the brand pushes to widen access to competitive riding. Organisers describe the move as a step towards a structured and aspirational entry point into motorsport while extending the company's international racing footprint.

The upcoming season will run multiple categories, including a women's customer class introduced earlier, and will extend to 20 cities with over 1,200 expected entrants. To date, the property has already covered 20 cities and drawn more than 4,000 participants since launching. TVS Racing views the growth as part of a wider mission to make the sport more inclusive and open to ordinary enthusiasts.

Originally launched in 2007, the initiative gave Apache owners a safe, professional setting in which to try competitive racing. It was reorganised into a formal championship in 2023. The 2025–26 edition took the series abroad for the first time, spanning India, Mexico, Colombia and Nepal and closing with a finale at the Madras International Circuit in Chennai. The third season builds on that foundation.

The championship now serves customers, enthusiasts and budding racers alike, drawing them together around performance and competition. The Apache line has over seven million international customers, backed by the Apache Owners Group, which counts more than 500,000 registered members. More details are available on the company website.

Vimal Sumbly, Head – Premium Business, TVS Motor Company, said, “TVS ARE GP has grown from a customer racing platform into a championship that embodies TVS Racing’s belief in making competitive motorsport more accessible and creating a strong pathway for racing talent. As we enter Season 3, our expansion to seven countries marks an important step in taking this racing ecosystem to a truly global stage. For us, this is not simply about expanding the championship’s footprint but about extending our racing culture, expertise and standards to riders across markets while creating opportunities for emerging talent to experience competitive racing. With a strong foundation built on championships and a deep understanding of grassroots motorsport, TVS ARE GP is evolving into a globally connected platform that will continue to nurture riders, strengthen racing communities and take the spirit of TVS Racing to the world.”

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Chinese automotive major BYD has become a participant of the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC), formally joining the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative on 14 September 2026. The Chinese new energy vehicle manufacturer has committed to upholding the compact’s Ten Principles while embedding the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) more deeply into its corporate strategy and daily operations, with the company framing the move as a contribution to global sustainable development through concrete action.

The UN Global Compact, founded in 2000, pioneered the concept of environmental, social and governance performance and now counts more than 25,000 participating enterprises across over 160 countries. It works to translate its Ten Principles into business operations and strategic development, helping companies meet their compact responsibilities while advancing the UN’s 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The initiative also promotes collaboration and partnerships aimed at addressing the challenges of globalisation and accelerating sustainability worldwide.

BYD, the world’s largest new energy vehicle enterprise, sells its vehicles in more than 100 countries and regions. Guided by its vision to cool the Earth by 1°C, the automaker stopped producing purely fuel-powered vehicles in 2022, becoming the first carmaker to do so, and aims to reach carbon neutrality across its entire value chain by 2045. Its DREAMS sustainability strategy, unveiled in 2025, rests on six pillars: decarbonisation, revolution, equity, alliance, moral integrity and shared value. In 2025, BYD delivered 4.6 million new energy vehicles and reduced carbon emissions by 46.6 million tonnes, equivalent to planting 776 million trees. It has also established a RMB 3 billion charity fund supporting education, university scholarships and the popularization of new energy vehicle technology.

The company described joining the compact as a milestone in its sustainability journey. Going forward, BYD intends to adhere strictly to the initiative’s principles and requirements, fulfil its corporate social responsibility and promote responsible governance and business practices throughout its operations while working with value chain partners to advance broader sustainable development goals.

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India Pistons, the flagship company of Chennai-headquartered Amalgamations Group, has announced the appointment of Suresh KV as Chief Executive Officer effective 14 October 2026.

The appointment marks his return to corporate leadership following a sabbatical of nearly three years spanning from January 2024 to October 2026. Prior to his sabbatical, Suresh served as President of ZF India from June 2015 to December 2023, where he led the vision, strategy, governance, and business performance across 18 manufacturing plants, eight engineering centres, three subsidiaries, and four joint ventures nationwide.

At present, IPL's major OEM customers include Hyundai Motor Company, Maruti Suzuki India, Ashok Leyland, Tata Motors, VE Commercial Vehicles, Simpsons & Co, TAFE, Mahindra & Mahindra and Greaves Cotton, among others.

He also represented the company on the Executive Committee of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), serving as Co-Chair for its Western Chapter.

His earlier tenure at ZF included serving as Executive Director of ZF Wind Power Coimbatore from November 2010 to May 2015. He managed a 60-acre manufacturing facility producing wind turbine gearboxes, axles, and transmissions for agricultural and construction equipment, achieving an annual turnover exceeding INR 9.50 billion in 2015.

Suresh's career in the automotive and industrial manufacturing sectors spans more than three decades, including operational and managerial positions at Hansen Transmissions, High Technology Plastics India, Motherson Sumi Systems, Climate Systems India, Visteon Automotive Systems, Bajaj Auto and Asian Paints.

In his new role at India Pistons in Chennai, Suresh will oversee operations, performance execution, and growth strategy for the manufacturer.

"My nearly three-year break from the corporate world has been much the same – a welcome pause to reflect, rejuvenate and rediscover purpose. This new chapter is much more than professional achievement, alone. It is an opportunity to make a meaningful difference, create lasting value, and perhaps pursue the fifth level of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs – self-actualisation. As the saying goes, 'Old wine in a new bottle' – though I would like to believe that, with age, the wine only gets better! The break is over. The final stint begins, with renewed energy, a clearer sense of purpose, and the excitement of being back in the game," said Suresh KV.

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Japanese automotive companies Honda Motor Co and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to develop a Honda pickup truck based on the Mitsubishi Triton.

The agreement marks the first product-supply initiative between the two manufacturers, with the new Honda model scheduled to enter the ASEAN market in 2028. The collaboration originates from a strategic partnership framework established in August 2024 among Honda, Mitsubishi Motors and Nissan Motor, which explores vehicle supply arrangements to expand product lineups across international markets.

As per the agreement, Honda will enter the pickup truck segment in the ASEAN region by utilising Mitsubishi's 1-tonne ladder-frame Triton platform. For Mitsubishi Motors, the OEM supply contract will increase production volumes and vehicle assembly capacity utilisation at its manufacturing facilities in Thailand. The three partner companies continue to examine additional vehicle supply and technology-sharing initiatives.

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