Ratan Tata, Chairman, Tata Sons, is no more. Admitted to the Breach Candy hospital in Mumbai, the 86-year-old Tata Group patriarch passed away in the late hours of 9 October 2024 due to age-related ailments.

Spearheading the entry of Tata Motors into passenger vehicle manufacture rather than be a commercial vehicles manufacturer only, Tata took over the mantle of Tata Sons as the umbrella organisation of Tata Group of companies in 1991 from JRD Tata.

Chairman emeritus of the USD 130-billion salt-to-software group, Tata was always passionate about automobiles and aeroplanes as much as he was caring about animals. A skilled aviator who would fly a plane himself, Tata was also a philanthropist. 

Highlighting an ability to risk by acquiring business such as Corus Steel of UK, Jaguar Land Rover of UK (from Ford Motor Company) and develop products such as the Nano for the common people, Tata messaged on ‘X’ that the recent rumours circulating regarding his health should not be considered as he was undergoing check-ups for age-related medical conditions and was in good spirits

He was admitted to the hospital on 7 October 2024 with age-related medical conditions. He has left behind him robust organisations in the form of Tata Motors and others, which have set an example of how success is achieved and how benchmarks are set. 

Tata Motors began its journey in the late 80s in the passenger vehicle space with the Tata Estate, Sierra and later the Indica against the competition  that was superior in their abilities to make cars.  Tata drove Tata Motors from what looked like a failure to the success that it today enjoys in the passenger vehicle domain by building capabilities starting with the passnger vehicle factory within the company's Pune premises. 

While projects like the Nano peoples’ car were very close to his heart and an outcome of the ambition to provide the ‘middle-class’ families a safe mode of personal transport, Tata was quite passionate about cars himself.

While he was often seen driving a Honda City in Mumbai near ‘Bombay House’ (the Tata Group headquarters) and the NCPA where he launched the Indigo Marina estate based on the Indica platform, Tata loved loved fast cars and flying his own plane.

Born on 28 December 1937 to Naval Tata and Soonoo Commisariat, Tata was raised by his grandmother Navajbai Tata along with his younger brother Jimmy. He completed his degree in architecture in 1962 from Cornell University, New York. He did an advanced management programme at the Harvard Business School in 1975.

On the advice of JRD Tata, Tata turned down a job offer from IBM to join the family business and began his stint as an apprentice on the shop floor of Tata Steel, shovelling limestone and handling the blast furnace.

Taking charge of the National Radio & Electronics Company (Nelco) in the late 70s along with the Mumbai-based Empress Mills, Tata was the fourth generation in the dynasty.

Successfully steering the Tata Group out of the rough winds that it got into when some of the business such as Tata Telecom went down, Tata stepped down on 28 December 2012 on turning 75. He passed the reigns over to Cyrus Mistry as his successor.

As relations between Mistry and Tata soured, Tata moved ahead to take over the leadership of the Tata Group on 24 October 2014. He put N Chandrasekaran, who was then heading TCS, in the commanding position as the Tata Group chairman in January 2017.

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Swedish steel manufacturer SSAB has announced a new collaboration with Polmotors, a tier 1 supplier focusing on low-emission products, for exploring the potential of fossil-free materials in demanding automotive applications.

The partnership will see Polmotors explore manufacturing components using SSAB’s decarbonised steel.

SSAB is working on two unique decarbonised steels and aims to largely eliminate carbon dioxide emissions from its own operations. It has already introduced SSAB Zero, which is based on recycled steel and made using fossil-free energy. The company claims that it has also successfully produced the world’s first fossil-free steel. It works with iron ore producer LKAB and energy company Vattenfall as part of the HYBRIT initiative to develop a value chain for fossil-free iron- and steel production, replacing the coking coal traditionally used for iron ore-based steelmaking with fossil-free electricity and hydrogen. This process virtually eliminates carbon dioxide emissions in steel production.

On the other hand, Polmotors closely works with the likes of Volkswagen, Audi, BMW, Peugeot, Citroen, Jeep, Stellantis, Mercedes-Benz and Opel among others, to introduce high-performance components which are not only lighter but also greener.

Maciej Grabos, CEO, Polmotors, said, “Polmotors sees the future of fossil-free steel. And the potential competitive advantage of being an early adopter, positioning ourselves to meet the anticipated market demand from premium automotive OEMs. We design and manufacture crash management systems (CMSs) for these customers, such as bumpers and rally bars, so choice of materials is crucial. Polmotors looks forward to joint R&D – working with SSAB and the OEMs – for the implementation of new steel grades in our products.”

Robert Lewandowski, Key Account Manager, SSAB, said, “Polmotors recently celebrated its 35thanniversary. I’ve had the pleasure and privilege to meet them 20 years ago and observe how an initially small, Polish-owned enterprise turned into a global Tier1 supplier. Decarbonisation of the automotive industry requires cooperation across the supply chain where Tier 1 companies play an important role”.

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The Ministry of Heavy Industries (MHI) has announced a new initiative to promote green mobility in the country under the ‘Scheme to Promote Manufacturing of Electric Passenger Cars in India’ (SPMECI).

The initiative aims to focus on encouraging the manufacturing of electric four-wheelers in the country. The scheme eventually looks to establish India as a premier global EV-manufacturing hub and attract investments from global electric vehicle companies, along with generating employment.

The Ministry of Heavy Industry has opened the application portal for a period of around 3 months starting from 24 June 2025 till 6pm on 21^st October 2025.

HD Kumaraswamy, Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel of India, said, “Guided by the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, this initiative marks a defining moment in India’s journey towards clean, self-reliant and future-ready mobility. The launch of this portal under the SPMEPCI scheme opens new avenues for global electric vehicle manufacturers to invest in India’s rapidly evolving automotive landscape. This scheme not only supports our national commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2070, but also reinforces our resolve to build a sustainable, innovation-driven economy.”

As per the guidelines, all approved applicants will need to invest a minimum of INR 41.5 billion to establish long-term manufacturing footprints in India. Global OEMs who invest in the country will be able to import electric passenger vehicles as Completely Built Units (CBUs) with a minimum CIF value of USD 35,000 at reduced customs duty of 15 percent for a period of five years from the Application Approval Date.

The Ministry has announced calibrated customs duty concessions and clearly defined Domestic Value Addition (DVA) milestones to strike a balance between the introduction of advanced EV technologies and the use of indigenous capabilities. Through domestic value addition targets, the scheme aims to fast track global and domestic companies towards becoming active partners in the country’s green mobility revolution.

SPMECI had been notified by a notification given on 15 March 2024.

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Tata Motors, one of India’s leading automobile manufacturers, has inaugurated two—state-of-the-art Re.Wi.Re – Recycle with Respect – Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities (RVSFs) in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh and Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

The Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways, Government of India, Nitin Gadkari, inaugurated these facilities virtually. The facilities are designed to safely and responsibly dismantle end-of-life vehicles including two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles, irrespective of the brands.

Nitin Gadkari, said, “I am pleased to launch two Registered Vehicle Scrapping Facilities in Lucknow and Raipur. These modern centres mark a progressive step under the National Vehicle Scrappage Policy, which empowers citizens to transition to cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles through structured incentives. These facilities will play a crucial role in the safe dismantling of unfit vehicles while enabling the recovery of valuable materials for scientific recycling. I commend Tata Motors for their steadfast commitment to sustainability and for establishing a nationwide RVSF infrastructure that aligns with global standards. Progressive initiatives like these are vital to building a robust ecosystem that makes vehicle scrappage accessible, efficient, and impactful across the country.”

The Raipur facility has a capacity to process 25,000 vehicles per annum, while Lucknow facility can scrap upto 15,000 vehicles annually.  

Girish Wagh, Executive Director, Tata Motors, said, “Sustainability is not merely a commitment at Tata Motors—it is a foundational pillar shaping the future of mobility. Guided by the principles of a circular economy, we are steadfast in our pursuit of responsible and eco-friendly practices. With the widest nationwide network of Re.Wi.Re facilities, Tata Motors is now equipped to responsibly dismantle over 175,000 end-of-life vehicles annually. We deeply value the unwavering support and collaboration of our partners, state governments, and local authorities in turning this vision into reality. I would especially like to thank Union Minister Nitin Gadkari for his continued leadership and encouragement in advancing sustainable mobility and vehicle recycling in India.”

With this, Tata Motors now has 10 vehicle scrapping centres across the country including -  Jaipur, Bhubaneswar, Surat, Chandigarh, Delhi-NCR, Pune, Guwahati, Raipur, Lucknow and Kolkata.

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The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the apex body representing automakers in India, has announced the wholesale data for May 2025. The month gone by saw a total of 2.05 million vehicles sold across the two-wheeler, three-wheeler and four-wheeler categories. This marked a flat growth versus 2.02 million vehicles sold last year, but an 11 percent growth over April 2025.

Looking at the segment-wise sales, the passenger vehicle sales were primarily driven by the robust demand for SUVs with 196,821 units sold, up 7.6 percent, as compared to 182,883 units sold last year. On the other hand, passenger car sales declined by 12.2 percent with 93,951 units sold, as compared to 106,952 units sold last year.

The three-wheeler segment was in the red across segments, with a total of 53,942 units sold, down 3.3 percent YoY.

In the two-wheeler space, the wholesales for motorcycles remained flat at 1.03 million units sold, while scooter sales grew by 7 percent at 579,507 units sold as compared to 540,866 units sold last year.

Commenting on the sales data, Rajesh Menon, Director General, SIAM, said, “All vehicle segments posted stable performance in May 2025. Passenger Vehicles segment posted sales of 3.45 lakh units, though 2nd highest ever of May, the segment de-grew marginally by 0.8 percent compared to May 2024, three-wheelers de-grew by 3.3 percent compared to May of previous year, with sales of 0.54 lakh units, while two-wheeler segment grew by 2.2 percent in May 2025, as compared to May 2024, with sales of 16.56 lakh units. Going forward, the RBI’s three repo rate cuts totalling 100 basis points in less than six months, along with a forecast of above-normal monsoons are some of the indicators which should positively impact the auto sector by improving affordability and boosting consumer sentiment in the coming months.”

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