During the 66th Annual Convention of The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi shared a special message at the convention stating, “India’s automobile industry is well placed to further expand its global presence as the country’s mobility ecosystem undergoes a fundamental transformation. Continued innovation, pursuit of excellence and a bold pathway towards Viksit Bharat will unlock transformative opportunities for the sector and accelerate the journey towards a faster, greener and self-reliant future.”
Chief Guest Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Government of India, mentioned, “With quality, innovation, research and competitive pricing, India has the potential to become the largest automobile industry in the world, with the sector playing a key role in Viksit Bharat. We should also encourage the expansion of driver training centres, vehicle fitness centres and vehicle scrapping centres, which can contribute to the economy as well.”
In his video message, Guest of Honour H. D. Kumaraswamy, Union Minister of Heavy Industries and Steel, Government of India, said, “The Indian automobile industry is strengthening its domestic capabilities and advancing vehicle technologies, creating a strong foundation to transform the local market into a global hub. The sector will continue to grow as a cleaner, more inclusive and globally competitive industry, contributing meaningfully to the Viksit Bharat 2047 goal.”
Shailesh Chandra, President, SIAM and Managing Director & CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicle Ltd. added, “The Indian Automobile Industry continues to play a defining role in shaping India’s Amrit Kaal, contributing significantly to realising the vision of a Viksit Bharat by 2047. Alongside this progress, significant strides have been made in aligning with global and national priorities of sustainability, decarbonisation, and safety.”
In his concluding remarks, Shenu Agarwal, Vice President, SIAM and Managing Director & CEO, Ashok Leyland Ltd., highlighted, “The Indian automobile industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience, and India can simultaneously become a large mobility market, a global manufacturing hub and a technology leader. But the next phase of this journey will require looking beyond growth alone, with sustainability and resilience going hand in hand.”
The session concluded with a shared commitment to building resilience in sustainable mobility, harnessing technology to strengthen global competitiveness and advancing India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat.
Shenu Agarwal takes over as SIAM President
The Executive Committee of SIAM elected Shenu Agarwal, Managing Director & CEO, Ashok Leyland Ltd., as its new President for 2026-27. Shenu Agarwal, who previously served as the Vice President of SIAM, succeeds Shailesh Chandra, Immediate Past President, SIAM, and Managing Director & CEO, Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. The new office bearers were elected during the Executive Committee Meeting held during the day. The members of SIAM also elected K N Radhakrishnan, Director & CEO, TVS Motor Company, as the Vice President of SIAM for 2026-27. Santosh Iyer, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd., has been elected as the Treasurer of SIAM for 2026-27.
Special Plenary session
SIAM convention charts India’s roadmap to a resilient and globally competitive auto industry
Special Plenary Session 3 at the 66th Annual Convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), themed “Building a Resilient Auto Industry Ecosystem for India,” discussed measures to strengthen India’s automotive ecosystem, boost competitiveness and drive innovation for the sector’s future growth.
Sudhakar Dalela, Secretary (ER), Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, said, “Technology, investment, components, talent and customers increasingly go beyond borders, making resilience a necessity. For India, strong and trusted international partnerships are critical to building this resilience. These partnerships widen access to markets and help Indian companies become more globally competitive.”
Anurag Jain, CEO, NITI Aayog, Government of India, said, “The current reforms in the industry create a huge opportunity for India to become part of the global value chain. With new innovations emerging globally, we need to keep pace with technological developments, strengthen our domestic capabilities and ensure that we remain competitive in world markets.”
K N Radhakrishnan, Chairman, SIAM Two-Wheeler CEOs Council and Director & CEO, TVS Motor Company, delivered the closing remarks and highlighted the importance of innovation in building a resilient and future-ready automotive ecosystem in India.
Plenary Session 2
SIAM Annual Convention highlights transformative role of AI across auto sector
Special Plenary Session 2 at the 66th Annual Convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), themed “Artificial Intelligence (AI) Across the Automotive Value Chain: Global Learnings,” discussed how AI is transforming product development, manufacturing and customer experience in the automotive sector.
Speaking on ‘AI Improving New Product Development Timelines’, Alexander Will, Partner, McKinsey & Company, Greater China, noted, “AI presents another re-platforming of engineering, potentially reshaping the speed of R&D. Agentic AI can enhance product and workforce performance, enabling engineers to focus more on decision-making and oversight. For India, AI in R&D could extend beyond productivity improvements and support the economic and technological viability of sustainable mobility.”
Deliberating on ‘The Increasing Role of AI in Shaping Automotive Customer Experience’, Ms. Shivani Govil, Venture Partner, TBP Venture Fund and Former Senior Executive, Product Management, Developer 1P, Google, United States, said, “AI is reimagining the entire car experience, from buying and driving to maintenance, insurance and safety. As this transformation accelerates, ecosystem readiness across infrastructure, technology and supply chains will be critical. India’s startup ecosystem, talent pool and focus on sustainability give it a unique opportunity to lead in this space.”
Shunichi Kawamata, Senior Manager and APJ Lead for Industry Specialists and Solutions, Automotive and manufacturing, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Japan, spoke on ‘Technology Developments for the Auto Sector in AI’, highlighting, “AI can be the biggest accelerant or the biggest anchor for an organisation. It is changing how every role in a product team works, with connected and governed data enabling transformation across the enterprise. The real question is how quickly an organisation can turn this transformation into value for the customer.”
Santosh Iyer, Treasurer, SIAM and Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India Pvt Ltd., was also in attendance. The session concluded with a call for deeper collaboration between the auto industry and technology partners on AI adoption.
Valedictory Session
SIAM Convention Explores India’s Roadmap to Capitalise on Changing Global Auto Dynamics
The Valedictory Session of the 66th Annual Convention of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), themed “Changing Global Dynamics: Leveraging Opportunities,” highlighted opportunities for India’s automotive industry to navigate shifting global dynamics, strengthen competitiveness and expand its global footprint.
Addressing the session, Chief Guest, Piyush Goyal, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Government of India, said, “Bharat Mobility Global Expo has sparked strong momentum, and that reflects the resilience of our automotive industry highlighting where technology is headed. With India’s trade agreements opening new markets, we must set higher export targets and leverage the 4Ms - molecule, module, megawatts and markets, to build trusted global partnerships. India’s reforms and strengthening ecosystem are being noticed worldwide, and this is the right time to reshape the sector, and strengthen self-sufficiency to help build a developed India by 2047.”
In his concluding address, Sriram Viji, President Designate, ACMA and Managing Director, Brakes India Pvt. Ltd., highlighted the key takeaways from the Convention and the way forward for India’s automotive industry. The Convention reaffirmed the growing strength of India’s automotive industry and its potential to emerge as a global leader in next-generation mobility.