Modi calls on auto industry to make transport a core pillar of national development

At SIAM’s 66th annual convention, Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged automakers to accelerate innovation and sustainable mobility, citing EV charging, production-linked incentives, Make in India and trade agreements as growth enablers.

— Source publishedThu, 3 Sept, 2026, 12:32 IST·First seen Thu, 3 Sept, 2026, 12:41 IST·Source The Hindu BusinessLine

What happened

Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) · Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged India’s auto industry to innovate and support sustainable mobility,

Key facts

  • 66th annual convention

Why this matters

Strategic partnerships or acquisitions in EV components, charging networks and export-capable manufacturing could gain value as government support accelerates sector expansion.

What to watch

  • New or expanded PLI, EV, battery-manufacturing and charging-infrastructure incentives in the Union Budget or ministry notifications.
  • State-level land, power-tariff, tax and charging permits for new automotive and battery projects.
  • EV sales penetration by two-wheelers, three-wheelers, fleet vehicles and passenger cars versus hybrid and CNG growth.
  • Public charging uptime, utilization rates, connector deployment and grid-connection timelines.
  • Major OEM announcements on India-based EV exports, battery localization and supplier contracts.
  • Trade-agreement implementation details, tariff changes and rules-of-origin provisions affecting vehicle and component exports.
  • Lithium-ion cell prices, domestic battery-material availability and auto-loan rates.
  • Automakers are likely to announce additional localized EV platforms, battery-pack plants, component sourcing agreements and charging partnerships.
  • Tier-1 and Tier-2 suppliers will pursue joint ventures or capacity expansions in motors, electronics, thermal management, lightweight materials and battery systems.
  • Dealers, financiers and fleet operators will expand EV leasing, subscription and commercial-fleet offerings to reduce upfront-price barriers.
  • Manufacturers may increase export-focused model development and seek localization benefits tied to new trade agreements.
  • Charging networks and utilities will prioritize highway corridors, urban fleet depots and high-utilization commercial locations over dispersed retail charging.