Tata Motors, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, held the groundbreaking ceremony of its new production facility to manufacture cars and SUVs, at Panapakkam in Ranipet district, Tamil Nadu.

The facility will produce next-gen vehicles for Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover for both India and international markets.

The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin and N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons & Tata Motors.

Tata Motors Group intends to invest about INR 90 billion in this greenfield manufacturing facility, which has been designed for an annual production capacity of over 250,000 vehicles. Production will begin in a phased manner and progressively increase to reach this capacity over the next five to seven years.

M.K. Stalin said, “Tata Group is renowned for its contribution to nation building. It has a deep, historic relationship with Tamil Nadu with many of its manufacturing plants successfully operating in our state for the past several years. We welcome Tata Motors, an auto manufacturer of global scale, for setting up its newest manufacturing facility in Panapakkam, Ranipet.”

The state-of-the-art manufacturing facility has the potential to create over 5,000 employment opportunities (direct and indirect). In addition, the plant will be guided by principles of sustainability and use 100 percent renewable energy for running operations.

N Chandrasekaran added, “We are pleased to make Panapakkam as the home of our next generation of cars and SUVs, including electric and luxury vehicles. Tamil Nadu is a leading industrial state with progressive policies and an established automotive hub with qualified and talented workforce. Several Tata Group companies have been successfully operating from here. We now intend to build our advanced vehicle manufacturing plant here using cutting-edge manufacturing technology and world-class sustainability practices. Our endeavour will be to have a high share of women employees across levels, in line with our focus towards greater empowerment of women.”

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The Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI), the body representing India’s forging sector, organised a Session on ‘Emerging Technology in Forging’ in Bengaluru. The session brought together industry leaders, technology experts and forging professionals to discuss how innovation, automation and digital transformation are reshaping the future of the forging ecosystem. The event aimed to spotlight opportunities that new-age technologies offer for enhancing operational efficiency, productivity, and sustainability within the sector.

The session began with remarks by Vivek Bansal, Director, Bansal Precision Forge. This was followed by a presentation by Senthil Kumar R, Nasscom Centre of Excellence – IoT & AI, on how Artificial Intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT), and automation are reshaping the forging industry. He highlighted use cases and the relevance of connected manufacturing.

This was followed by a session on ‘Driving Digital Transformation in the Forging Sector’ by Dr. Amit Goyal and Dr. Manju Gupta from BizSol Technologies. Their presentation showed how ERP systems, digital integration and data intelligence are enabling forging companies to transition into the Industry 4.0 era with agility and efficiency.

Ajit Gaikwad, Yeskolube India, spoke on the ‘Importance of Forging Die Lubricant’ and its role in productivity and die life. The presentation by Ramakrishna D, Orb Energy, focused on ‘Powering Indian Enterprise with Solar,’ highlighting how renewable energy adoption is becoming an advantage.

Yash Munot, President of The Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI), said, “At AIFI, our priority has always been to empower the forging industry with knowledge, capability, and a clear roadmap for the future. As the sector enters a new phase driven by digital and technological advancement, it is essential that our members understand and adopt these innovations at the right pace. This session reinforces AIFI’s commitment to enabling industry-wide transformation through meaningful collaborations, continuous engagement with technology leaders, and creating platforms that help our members stay globally competitive. We remain focused on strengthening India’s forging ecosystem and ensuring it continues to play a pivotal role in the country’s industrial and economic progress”.

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Vedanta Aluminium, India’s largest producer of aluminium, has announced the expansion of its lithium-ion battery powered electric forklift fleet to comprise 142 units. This expansion, which more than doubles the previous total, supports the company’s commitment to green logistics.

The transition to electric forklifts aligns with Vedanta’s commitment to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and the goal of decarbonising its Light Motor Vehicle (LMV) fleet by 2030.

The 142 electric forklifts have been deployed across the company's operations in Odisha and Chhattisgarh. At its Jharsuguda smelter alone, where 116 forklifts operate, the initiative is expected to eliminate approximately 4,450 tonnes of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions annually and reduce diesel consumption by 1.63 million litres each year. The transition also enhances workplace safety and boosts operational efficiency through faster charging and lower maintenance requirements.

Rajiv Kumar, CEO - Vedanta Aluminium, said, “At Vedanta Aluminium, we view sustainability as more than a commitment, it is a catalyst for transformation. Our expanded electric forklift fleet is a testament to what becomes possible when we invest in technologies that benefit both our operations and our planet. This milestone has not only strengthened our environmental efforts but has also created new pathways for greater inclusion in industry roles that were once considered inaccessible to women.”

The initiative has created new opportunities for inclusive growth, with several forklifts operated by women and transgender professionals, reinforcing the company's commitment to equality. This includes the deployment of India's first 10-tonne capacity electric forklifts at the Jharsuguda smelter operations.

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Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has attained a new production milestone of rolling out its 2 millionth unit in the country.

The milestone marks a pivotal moment in the company’s 25-year history in the country. This achievement follows the Group's strongest commercial performance, with October 2025 being its most successful month since the Group's formation. The total includes over 500,000 vehicles built on the MQB-A0-IN platform, which was developed in India by local engineering teams. This platform supports the Skoda Kushaq, Slavia, Kylaq and the Volkswagen Taigun and Virtus.

The last 500,000 units were produced in just 3.5 years, reflecting demand for India-built products.

Interestingly, Skoda Auto India recorded its highest-ever 10-month performance, more than doubling year-on-year to 61,607 units in 2025. Volkswagen India recorded its highest-ever monthly sales for the Virtus during Diwali, with the model holding over 40 percent share in the premium sedan segment in 40 months.

During the year, the Group’s premium and luxury brands also contributed to its market position:

• Bentley launched Bentley India, an operational division within SAVWIPL, accompanied by new showrooms in Mumbai and Bengaluru.
• Porsche India added over 4,400 customers over the past six years and expanded its footprint to 13 points of sale.
• Audi strengthened India’s EV ecosystem with over 6,500 charging points installed under Phase II of the segment-first Charge My Audi initiative. The Audi Approved: plus segment posted 5 percent growth between January and September 2025.
• Lamborghini delivered its best-ever annual performance in 2024, delivering 113 cars, a 10 percent increase over 2023. The launch of the Temerario in India completes Lamborghini’s hybrid transition in line with its Direzione Cor Tauri strategy.

Piyush Arora, CEO & Managing Director, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India, said, “Every milestone we achieve in India reflects our strong belief in the country’s potential – not just as a market but as a driving force in the future of mobility. The 2-million mark is the outcome of consistent investment in people, technology and local capability. It also speaks to the exceptional trust Indian customers place in our six brands. Indian buyers are among the most informed and discerning in the world. They evaluate every strength and every limitation before choosing a Volkswagen, Škoda, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini or Bentley, and their confidence strengthens our resolve. This achievement highlights how closely we listen to our customers and how their evolving expectations shape the products we design and build here, with the same quality, precision and trust that define the Group worldwide.”

Going forward, exports will continue to remain a key pillar of the Group’s operations, with more than 700,000 vehicles shipped from India to markets across Latin America, Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East, strengthening India’s emergence as an export hub.

The Group operates facilities in Pune and Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar. The Pune plant was established with an investment of nearly €600 million to support higher volumes and deeper localisation.

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Greaves Cotton, an engineering firm, has partnered with Europe’s Ligier Group, a manufacturer of light and heavy quadricycles. The collaboration will see Greaves’ Euro V+ certified 499cc REVO D+ diesel engines powering Ligier’s JS50 and Myli microcar models.

The engines, designed and manufactured at Greaves' facility in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, India, are integrated into Ligier vehicles sold across multiple European countries, including France, Italy, Spain and Germany. This partnership highlights India's increasing role as a supplier of regulatory-compliant automotive technologies globally.

The 499cc REVO D+ single-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engine features electronic fuel injection and is designed for the light quadricycle, L6e category of vehicles.

The engine produces 6.0 kW of power at 3000 rpm and 26 Nm of torque at 1800–2200 rpm. The engine is claimed to deliver superior fuel efficiency, exceptional Noise, Vibration & Harshness (NVH) performance, and low friction. The engines met the stringent Euro V+ compliance norms through rigorous European-grade quality assurance, including cold-weather validation and lifecycle reliability assessments.

Parag Satpute, Managing Director and Group CEO, Greaves Cotton, said, “This partnership with Ligier is a proud milestone for Greaves Cotton, showcasing how a Made-in-India powertrain is driving European mobility solutions. It reflects our strong engineering capabilities, customer-centric approach, and commitment to delivering global quality standards from our Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar plant. As a trusted partner to OEMs worldwide, we continue to strengthen our comprehensive solutions driven approach that meet the demands of global OEMs for highest standards of performance, efficiency, and sustainability.”

Christian Dujardin, CEO, Ligier Group, said, “Our partnership with Greaves has been marked by outstanding collaboration and mutual trust. Together, we have succeeded in bringing to market the new 499cc REVO D+ engine - a modern, efficient, and reliable powertrain that perfectly meets today’s market expectations, regulatory standards, and customer demands. We are proud of the quality and fluidity of our exchanges throughout this project, which have allowed us to combine innovation and performance. Our teams continue to work hand in hand on future developments to stay one step ahead of the competition and uphold Ligier’s promise of always being at the forefront of innovation.”

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