United Nations Alliance of Civilisations and BMW Group has honoured India’s grassroots Initiative ‘Football and Beyond’ during the 10th UNAOC Global Forum. ‘Football and Beyond’ is the initiative of India-based organisation ‘Shreeja India’, which is one of the ten grassroots initiatives that were honoured recently under the Intercultural Innovation Hub (IIH), a joint initiative of the United Nations of Civilizations (UNAOC) and the BMW Group. The joint initiative was implemented with the support of Accenture.

The ‘Football and Beyond’ initiative was honoured at a ceremony held in Cascais, Portugal, under the theme ‘United in Peace: Restoring Trust, Reshaping the Future – Reflecting on Two Decades of Dialogue for Humanity’.
The Forum convened prominent figures, political leaders, UN officials including the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres, as well as representatives from civil society, academia, and the private sector, to share insights and reflect on the 20 years of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations’ impactful work.

The ’Football and Beyond’ initiative leverages the unifying power of football to bridge divides across diverse backgrounds while promoting inclusivity and empowerment. By using football as a development tool, the initiative integrates sports with education, mental wellness, social awareness, and skills development. This holistic approach empowers girls and uplifts communities that lack access to essential services such as basic education, nutrition, healthcare, and livelihood opportunities, paving the way for sustainable growth and social cohesion.

"Shreeja India’s inclusive tactic to empower underprivileged girls and children with a sports-based endeavour is producing powerful narratives in the grassroots of rural India. With the recognition of the Intercultural Innovation Hub, we feel more driven to connect, collaborate and contribute towards breaking barriers and building cohesive societies," said Somasree Basu, Program Manager at Shreeja India.

“With the Intercultural Innovation Hub, we celebrate outstanding initiatives implemented by extraordinary individuals working to bridge intercultural divisions in innovative and impactful ways,” said Ilka Horstmeier, Member of the Board of Management of BMW AG People and Real Estate, Labour Relations Director. “At the BMW Group, we believe that diversity not only enhances our company but is crucial for social unity and global progress. That is why we are deeply thankful for our strong partnership with the UNAOC. This collaboration allows us to support remarkable initiatives like Shreeja India’s work in empowering underprivileged children, making a tangible difference in their communities and contributing to a better and more inclusive Indian society,” she added.

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PeakAmp, a company specialising in battery circularity and lifecycle management, has entered into a partnership with Stefen Electric to handle end-of-life lithium-ion batteries from the latter’s electric mobility operations. Under the agreement, PeakAmp becomes the exclusive recycling and environmental compliance partner for Stefen Electric.

The collaboration places PeakAmp in charge of collection, reverse logistics, recycling and Extended Producer Responsibility compliance for battery waste generated by Stefen Electric. All processed batteries adhere to Central Pollution Control Board guidelines and the Battery Waste Management Rules of 2022, ensuring alignment with India’s regulatory framework for safe disposal.

This arrangement allows Stefen Electric to meet compliance standards while securing safe disposal and material recovery. It also improves traceability across the battery lifecycle. As India’s electric mobility sector expands, rising volumes of retired EV batteries are expected. Through this partnership, both companies aim to build scalable, compliant and environmentally responsible battery waste management solutions.

Aditya Sudhanshu, Co-Founder & COO, PeakAmp, said, “As EV adoption accelerates, establishing reliable systems for managing battery waste becomes increasingly critical. Our partnership with Stefen Electric enables a structured approach to collection, recycling and compliance, ensuring that end-of-life batteries are handled in a responsible and traceable manner. We look forward to contributing to a more transparent and efficient battery waste ecosystem.”

Vipin Nagar, Head – Commercials, Stefen Electric, said, “At Stefen Electric, we recognise that sustainable battery management is critical to the long-term growth of the EV ecosystem. Our partnership with PeakAmp allows us to build a robust and compliant framework for managing battery waste, ensuring responsible disposal and recycling while maintaining full traceability.”

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Mumbai-headquartered automotive major Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) has signalled a bold new chapter in its global expansion, detailing plans for electric vehicle (EV) exports and significant production scaling following a ‘defining year’ of financial growth.

The Mumbai-based conglomerate reported a stellar performance for FY2026, with consolidated Profit After Tax (PAT) reaching INR 170.99 billion, a 35 percent increase over the previous year. Consolidated revenue for the year surged 25 percent to reach INR 1,986 billion, 25 percent YoY.

During the year, the company reported sales of 1.11 million units, up 19 percent, while tractor sales grew by 24 percent at 526,403 units.

Central to the company’s future is a phased entry into international EV markets. Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director & CEO (Auto and Farm Sector), told Motoring Trends, that Mahindra has planned a disciplined roadmap for global expansion.

"For exports, we would look at right-hand-drive markets in the world first. If we succeed there, then we will look at left-hand-drive markets". The company expects to begin seeing Mahindra EVs in a couple of new countries within the next 18 months.

Addressing potential competition from new Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), Dr Anish Shah, Group CEO & MD, Mahindra & Mahindra remains confident. He acknowledged that the government has structured FTAs to encourage local manufacturing. "We have already seen a lot of competition in the auto industry already and all the top players are here as well. FTA doesn’t change anything from that standpoint. It is important to emphasise that the government has done it (FTAs) very well to make sure that other players continue to make in India as well for the Indian market and to be able to export from around India. In that sense, they (automakers) have it set up well, and that should benefit the Indian government," Shah remarked.

New product launches & Capacity enhancement

Furthermore, the Mahindra management acknowledges that there has been a gap between demand and supply, especially for its new range of electric vehicles, which is why it is ramping up and unlocking capacities to meet the consumer demand.

It has already enhanced its SUV ICE capacity from 54,000 units per month to 56,500 units per month at the end of FY2026, with plans to scale it up to 60,000 units.

Similarly, for battery electric vehicles, it has enhanced the capacity from 5,000 units a month at the end of FY2025, to 8,000 units per month by 31, March 2026.

Furthermore, to support the potential EV uptick growth, Mahindra is aggressively expanding its manufacturing footprint. The company is in the process of land acquisition for its Nagpur facility, which is intended to eventually take capacity up to 500,000 units per annum.

Going forward, it has revised its earlier plans to launch 4 new ICE SUVs and 3 new electric vehicles by 2031, to 10 new ICE SUVs and 6 new BEVs by 2031. This includes 1 new mid-cycle enhancement and 9 new SUV nameplates in the ICE category.

In the EV segment, Mahindra is targeting an 18-20 percent penetration rate over a five-year period. Monthly production for the popular XEV 9S model is slated to rise from 6,000 to 8,000 units this year, with plans to reach a total EV capacity of 12,000 to 14,000 units per month as they enter FY2028.

When questioned on how Mahindra will compete with new entrants, Jejurikar pointed to ‘design and the tech’ as primary differentiators. He highlighted their unique seven-seater EV offerings and long-range capabilities (450-500+ km) as key advantages that ‘reduce charging rate’ anxiety for customers.

Market Leadership and Financial Resilience

The company’s traditional strongholds continue to dominate the Indian market. Mahindra remains No. 1 in SUVs with a revenue market share of 25.3 percent, No. 1 in Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) and No. 1 in Tractors with a 43.6 percent market share.

"FY26 has been a defining year marked by strong execution and breakthrough performance," said Dr Anish Shah. He emphasised that the Group is ‘well poised to accelerate in these uncertain times,’ supported by a strong balance sheet and a net cash generation exceeding INR 1,600 billion.

FY2027 outlook

Despite global ‘geopolitical headwinds,’ the company maintains a disciplined approach to capital allocation, focusing on high-growth ‘Growth Gems’ and exiting non-performing international farm businesses to ensure a 20.1 percent Return on Equity (RoE).

It expects FY2027 to see the tractor sales to grow in mid-single digits, while SUVs will see mid to high teen growth. Mahindra's aim is to focus on ramping up manufacturing capacity to meet volume growth aspirations.

On the LCV (upto 3.5-tonne segment), where Mahindra holds the lion’s or 52 percent market share, it expects the industry growth volumes to come in high single digits.

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The positive momentum for the Indian automotive industry continues to accelerate in the new fiscal year. In what comes as a record retail sales registration across categories, the total automotive sales in April 2026 reached a whopping 2.61 million units, up 12.94 percent, as compared to 2.31 million units last year.

The record retail sales were witnessed across two-wheelers, which saw retail registrations at 1.91 million units, up 13 percent YoY, three-wheelers at 106,908 units, up 7.19 percent YoY, passenger vehicles at 407,355 units, up 12.21 percent YoY, tractors at 75,109 units, up 23.22 percent YoY and commercial vehicles at 99,339 unit, up 15.02 percent YoY.

Barring construction equipment at 6,348 units, down 2.25 percent YoY, all categories were in the green.

Sai Giridhar, President, FADA, said: “This clearly underlines that the structural demand momentum which defined the second half of FY2026 has carried into the new financial year. The sequential MoM softness of -3.01 percent reflects the customary post-March seasonal reset rather than any erosion in underlying demand.”

He stated that the demand engine remained broad-based with Urban markets growing 14.07 percent YoY and Rural markets growing 12.30 percent YoY.

The industry body attributed this performance to improved rural liquidity following a healthy rabi season, the extended marriage-season tailwind that runs through May and June, and continued affordability gains carried over from the GST 2.0 framework. Furthermore, the performance could have further grown, if the industry did not witness supply constraints for selective models in certain commuter and premium variants.

In terms of electrification in the two-wheeler segment, it saw moderation at 7.76 percent, as compared to 9.79 percent last month.

Commenting on the commercial vehicle performance, Giridhar said, “From a market mix standpoint, Rural markets grew a striking 20.25 percent YoY versus Urban at 10.22 percent YoY, highlighting that logistics-led demand is no longer concentrated in metros. Dealers across regions reported sustained freight movement, infrastructure-linked goods activity, school-bus replacement demand, and steady single-owner operator confidence as the principal drivers. The MCV sub-segment continued its standout run at 27.07 percent YoY, while LCVs grew 17.76 percent and HCVs 8.25 percent — reflecting participatory growth across sub-segments. Some dealers, however, flagged elongated financing turnaround time, sporadic variant-level supply gaps and a degree of caution induced by external geopolitical developments as monitorables.”

Coming to the passenger vehicle segment, the segment has seen demand firing on all cylinders. Interestingly, Rural PV growth at 20.40 percent YoY, was nearly three times the Urban pace of 7.11 percent YoY.

“This confirms the structural broadening of personal mobility into Tier-3 and rural India, supported by a small-car revival, sustained SUV demand and a richer alternative-powertrain product mix where CNG share held firm at 22.62 percent and EV share improved further to 5.77 percent. Dealers cited improved affordability post-GST 2.0, the Reserve Bank of India's supportive rate stance, which has translated into stronger EMI comfort, and a healthy marriage-season pipeline as the principal demand drivers. PV inventory levels have moved up modestly to a range of 28–30 days, marginally above March'26's around 28 days but well within the healthy band that we view as constructive. We continue to encourage PV OEMs to maintain disciplined dispatches in the coming weeks so that channel inventory stays anchored close to FADA's recommended 21-day benchmark, particularly as we move into the seasonally softer May-June window,” added Giridhar.

The near-term outlook for May 2026 is cautiously optimistic, with over 55 percent of dealers expecting continued growth. Momentum is expected to be maintained by the peak of the marriage season and residual buying from festivals like Akshaya Tritiya. However, monitorable factors include potential heatwaves, geopolitical tensions in West Asia that could impact fuel prices, and selective supply constraints. Over the next three months, dealer confidence remains steady as the industry transitions toward its mid-year phase.

Going forward, the industry body expects that demand for CVs, two-wheelers and passenger vehicles will continue to be positive. For CVs, he attributes the same to residual buying triggered by Akshaya Tritiya in select northern and western markets, the new financial-year OEM scheme cycle and sustained replacement demand in the CV segment.

The two-wheeler segment will continue to reap the benefits of improving rural cashflows, agri-cycle preparation purchases and continued post-GST 2.0 affordability in the rural market, while passenger vehicles are likely to benefit from healthy booking pipelines, refreshed product launches and improving small-car traction.

“That said, the India Meteorological Department's forecast of an above-normal heatwave across several states, the geopolitical situation in West Asia and its potential pass-through to fuel prices, selective supply constraints on running models remain factors to watch,” he concluded.

AUTO RETAIL SALES IN INDIA
Category	Apr '26	Apr '25	Change (in units)	Change (in %)	Mar '26	Change (in %)
			YoY	YoY		MoM
Two-wheeler	1,916,258	1,695,638	220,620	13.01%	1,951,006	-1.78%
Three-wheeler	106,908	99,741	7,167	7.19%	109,777	-2.61%
E-Rickshaw (P)	28,154	39,504	-11,350	-28.73%	28,946	-2.74%
E-Rickshaw with Cart (G)	7,742	7,447	295	3.96%	7,425	4.27%
Three-wheeler (Goods)	13,133	10,322	2,811	27.23%	14,006	-6.23%
Three-wheeler (Passenger)	57,767	42,326	15,441	36.48%	59,283	-2.56%
Three-wheeler (Personal)	112	142	-30	-21.13%	117	-4.27%
Passenger Vehicle	407,355	363,028	44,327	12.21%	440,144	-7.45%
Tractor	75,109	60,956	14,153	23.22%	82,080	-8.49%
Construction Equipment	6,348	6,494	-146	-2.25%	6,906	-8.08%
Commercial Vehicle	99,339	86,364	12,975	15.02%	102,536	-3.12%
LCV	55,949	475,120	######	-88.22%	59,379	-5.78%
MCV	9,177	7,222	Comments (0) ADD COMMENT Link Copied! Automobili Lamborghini Fermin Soneira Audi AG Rouven Mohr SEAT Stephan Winkelmann Automobili Lamborghini Appoints Fermin Soneira As New R&D And Motorsport Boss By MT Bureau May 02, 2026 Italian automotive brand Automobili Lamborghini has announced that Fermin Soneira will join the company on 1 July as the new head of Research & Development and Motorsport. He succeeds Rouven Mohr, who has been appointed Chief Technical Officer of Audi AG. Soneira brings extensive international and technical experience to his new role and till recently, he served as CEO of the Audi and SAIC Cooperation Project in Shanghai, developing a new brand and platform for the Chinese market.  Born in 1972 in Spain, he holds a Master’s degree in Mechanical and Automotive Engineering. He began his career at Audi AG in chassis development before spending 12-years at SEAT, where he led chassis and vehicle engineering. Upon returning to Audi in 2014, he directed product and electrification strategy and later served as Head of Global Product Marketing. From 2020, he oversaw the product lines for several electric models, including the Q4, Q6, Q8 and A6 e-tron series. Mohr leaves Lamborghini after serving as Chief Technical Officer since January 2022. He oversaw the technical transition to hybrid power for the Revuelto, Urus SE and Temerario. He was also managing the development of the SC63 for endurance racing, as well as the upcoming Temerario GT3 and Super Trofeo. Stephan Winkelmann, Chairman and CEO, Automobili Lamborghini, said, “On behalf of the entire company, I would like to sincerely thank Rouven Mohr for his outstanding dedication and leadership over the past years. His contribution has been instrumental in shaping Lamborghini’s technological path, particularly in the transition towards hybridisation. At the same time, I am pleased to welcome Fermín Soneira to Lamborghini. With his extensive international experience, technical competence and strategic vision, he will further strengthen the brand’s success and drive our future innovation.” Fermín Soneira, added, “It is a great honour to join an iconic brand such as Lamborghini, which has contributed to writing the history of the automotive industry, performance and design. I look forward to working with the team to further elevate the brand’s technological excellence and driving experience.” Comments (0) ADD COMMENT Link Copied! Current Issue Subscribe Subscribe For Newsletter Email * Submit Events Malaysia Commercial Vehicle Expo 2026 Seri Kembangan , Selangor 10:00 am - 07:00 pm 14th May 2026 Vehicle Dynamics Conference 2026 Chennai , Tamil Nadu 08:30 am - 06:00 pm 16th Jun 2026 Global Tyre And Rubber Conference 2026 Chennai , Tamil Nadu 09:00 am - 06:00 pm 17th Jun 2026 Global Tyre And Rubber Conference 2027 Chennai , Tamil Nadu 09:00 am - 06:00 pm 23rd Jun 2027 Popular news 01Mahindra Outlines Ambitious EV Strategy, Capacity Expansion Following Robust FY2026 Results 02April Sees Robust Record Automotive Retail Sales In India 03Renault Group Unveils 2 New Platforms, Plots 7 New Launches For India, EV & Hybrid Tech Too 04Scania Strengthens The Customer Ecosystem In India WIth A New Office 05Ashok Leyland Twin Fuel Dost And Dost+ XL