Pune: Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H D Kumaraswamy, inaugurated SIAT 2026 (Symposium on International Automotive Technology) in Pune, marking a major milestone in India’s journey towards safe, sustainable, and globally competitive mobility solutions.
The three-day international symposium is being organised by the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) in association with SAE International and SAEINDIA, during ARAI’s Diamond Jubilee Year.
Held as part of ARAI’s 60-year celebrations, SIAT 2026 focuses on future-ready transportation systems, innovation-led mobility, clean energy transition, advanced safety technologies, and sustainable automotive development, bringing together global automotive experts, policymakers, researchers, startups, MSMEs, and industry leaders on a common platform.
SIAT 2026 Highlights India’s Sustainable and Technology-Driven Automotive Growth
Addressing the gathering, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy congratulated ARAI on six decades of contribution to India’s automotive ecosystem, describing its role in advancing safer, cleaner, and innovation-driven mobility as “commendable and transformative.”
He emphasised that SIAT 2026 represents a defining platform for shaping the future of India’s automotive and mobility landscape.
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Highlighting India’s economic progress, the Minister stated that the country has emerged as the world’s fourth-largest economy with a GDP of USD $4.18 trillion and is on track to become the third-largest economy in the coming years, with a projected GDP of USD $7.3 trillion by 2030. He said this growth reflects India’s rising industrial strength, confidence, and global competitiveness.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Minister noted that India has adopted a clear roadmap towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
He said initiatives such as Make in India and Aatmanirbhar Bharat are strengthening advanced manufacturing and positioning India as a global automotive and mobility hub.
SIAT 2026: Electric Mobility and Policy Reforms Driving India’s Automotive Transformation
Kumaraswamy highlighted electric mobility as a core pillar of India’s transformation, stating that EV adoption reduces dependence on fossil fuel imports, lowers emissions, and creates large-scale opportunities for Indian industry, innovators, and the youth workforce.
Detailing key government initiatives, he said:
- FAME-II Scheme (₹11,500 crore outlay) has supported over 16.71 lakh electric vehicles and enabled sanctioning of more than 9,000 public charging stations.
- PM E-DRIVE Scheme (₹10,900 crore outlay) has strengthened EV adoption through incentives and infrastructure expansion, with over 20 lakh EVs sold under the scheme.
- PLI Auto Scheme (₹25,938 crore outlay) is boosting domestic value addition and global competitiveness.
- PLI-ACC Scheme targets 50 GWh of Advanced Chemistry Cell battery manufacturing capacity in India.
- Rare Earth Permanent Magnet (REPM) Scheme (₹7,280 crore outlay) aims to promote indigenous manufacturing of critical components for EVs, wind turbines, defence systems, and electronics.
The Minister also emphasised the importance of electrifying the commercial vehicle segment, which contributes to more than 40% of transport-related pollution.
He stated that ₹2,000 crore has been earmarked under the PM E-DRIVE scheme for setting up over 70,000 charging stations nationwide to support EV adoption in this segment.
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SIAT 2026 Showcases India’s Automotive Industry Performance and Innovation Ecosystem
Presenting industry performance data, Kumaraswamy stated that vehicle production increased from 28.4 million units in FY 2023–24 to 31 million units in FY 2024–25, while exports rose from 4.5 million units to 5.36 million units in the same period.
He said these figures reflect the success of government-led reforms in building a clean, competitive, and sustainable automotive sector.
During his visit to SIAT 2026, the Union Minister toured multiple exhibition stalls, interacted with startups, MSMEs, industry stakeholders, and researchers, and explored emerging technologies focused on passenger safety, mobility efficiency, electrification, connected mobility, and advanced vehicle systems.
He visited the ARAI Pavilion and Technology Pavilion, which showcased innovations in testing, certification, safety systems, electrification, and smart mobility solutions.
New ARAI Facilities Inaugurated to Strengthen India’s Mobility Research Infrastructure
Kumaraswamy also inaugurated three new facilities at ARAI’s Mobility Research Centre (MRC) in Takwe, near Pune. These facilities are designed to strengthen safety, security, testing, certification, and advanced research capabilities in India’s automotive ecosystem.
He expressed confidence that these facilities would further enhance India’s global standing in vehicle testing and certification infrastructure.
Appreciating the increasing participation of MSMEs and startups in SIAT 2026, the Minister said ARAI’s outreach initiatives have played a crucial role in nurturing innovation, entrepreneurship, and indigenous technology development in the automotive sector.
