SIAT 2026 | Kumaraswamy: Centre promoting electric vehicles to tackle pollution

In his inaugural address, the Chief Guest commended ARAI for its 60-year contribution to India’s automotive ecosystem. Highlighting India’s rapid economic progress towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy, Kumaraswamy underlined the government’s push for sustainable and technology-driven mobility through initiatives such as the Capital Goods Scheme, FAME scheme, PM e-Drive Scheme and the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes. He also acknowledged the automotive sector’s role in manufacturing growth, exports, advanced R&D and the rise of software-led mobility solutions.

“Looking at the scale of this conference, depth of technical content to be presented and impressive expertise gathered here, I believe this event will result in an exciting exchange of information generating new knowledge and ideas showing pathways for India’s 2047 and 2070 resolves of being a developed country and achieving a net zero emissions,” Kumaraswamy said.

He further pointed out that public transport vehicles account for 40 per cent of pollution in India and said the Centre is promoting electric vehicles to address the issue. Kumaraswamy added that plans are underway to significantly increase the number of charging stations across the country in the coming period.

Expressing confidence in India’s global prospects, the minister said agreements reached with the European Union under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi would have a positive impact on both Indian and European markets. He added that the Indian automotive industry is poised not only for domestic expansion but also for a stronger international presence in the coming years.

Addressing the gathering, Shailesh Chandra, Managing Director of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, spoke about the global transformation of the automotive industry driven by emerging technologies. He highlighted India’s growing stature, noting that the country is now the world’s largest producer of three-wheelers, among the top two producers of two-wheelers, ranks in the top four for passenger vehicles and top five for commercial vehicles, with record vehicle exports recorded in 2025.

During the event, Kumaraswamy also inaugurated several state-of-the-art mobility testing and research facilities at Takwe in Pune, including an Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Smart City Test Track, a Cylinder Testing Facility and a High Energy Impact Test Facility.

Welcoming the minister and participants, Prasan Firodia, Managing Director of Force Motors and Vice President of the ARAI Governing Council, commended the government’s role through various schemes for the automotive sector and appreciated ARAI’s contribution to the industry’s growth.

Dr Reji Mathai, Director of ARAI and Chairman of the Advisory Committee for SIAT 2026, said the symposium, featuring over 250 technical presentations, reaffirmed the shared responsibility of global stakeholders in advancing safety, sustainability and next-generation mobility technologies.