Reliance is the only Indian firm on the list and Ms. Bindra the first Indian woman executive of an Indian firm to be featured on the list.

Reliance Industries Ltd’s Human Resources chief Ira Bindra has been named among the world’s top CHROs, making Reliance the only Indian company represented on the list.

N2Growth, a global leader in executive search and leadership advisory, announced the 2025 Leaders40 Top Chief Human Resources Officers (CHRO) Award late on Friday (November 14, 2025).

This year’s list includes leading CHROs at some of the world’s largest and most influential companies, such as Lisa Buckingham (Vialto Partners), Matthew Breitfelder (Apollo Global Management), Robin Leopold (JPMorganChase), Christy Pambianchi (Caterpillar Inc.), Trisha Conley (LyondellBasell), Maral Kazanjian (Moody’s), and Donna Morris (Walmart), it said.

Reliance is the only Indian firm on the list and Ms. Bindra the first Indian woman executive of an Indian firm to be featured on the list.

She has been ranked 28th on the list.

“Ira is a global Human Resources and business transformation leader with over two decades of experience driving growth, innovation, and organisational excellence across Fortune 100 companies and high-growth enterprises.”

“Her career spans multiple industries, geographies, and business lifecycles, where she has led integrated business, people, and culture strategies that enable high performance and sustainable transformation,” her citation read.

As President – People & Talent at Reliance Industries Limited, India’s largest private enterprise and a Fortune Global 500 (#88) company with revenues over $119 billion, Ira partners with the Chairman, Executive Committee, and business leadership to shape the company’s people and culture agenda.

“She is leading enterprise-wide talent and culture transformation for Reliance’s 360,000-strong workforce spanning energy, retail, telecommunications, media, and green technologies,” it added.

Before joining Reliance, Ms. Bindra held several senior global HR leadership roles at Medtronic, the world’s largest medical device company. Previously, she spent 19 years with General Electric, holding diverse HR leadership roles across Healthcare, Oil & Gas, Technology Infrastructure, Corporate and GE Capital in both developed and developing markets.

She holds an MBA from the Maastricht School of Management, Netherlands, and a BA (Hons.) in History from Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University.

First launched on Forbes in 2015 by N2Growth Founder Mike Myatt, the Top CHRO List quickly became one of the most respected and anticipated rankings in the human resources profession.

In 2020, N2Growth partnered with the Stanford Graduate School of Business to formalize the list as the Leaders40 Award. Since then, N2Growth has been pleased to issue the preeminent industry recognition of the leading CHROs globally.

“Over the last decade, we’ve watched the CHRO role transform,” said Tony Morales, Co-Chairman of N2Growth and head of the Leaders40 Selection Committee. “The CHROs of today are no longer only people leaders, but have become strategic partners to CEOs and boards, driving performance, culture, and transformation at the highest level.”

The Leaders40 Selection Committee evaluates thousands of nominations, conducts over a hundred in-depth interviews, and ultimately names the top 40 CHROs who set the standard of excellence in human capital management.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The DRDO has developed lightweight autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) equipped with advanced sonar units and cameras.

In a fresh development, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has created a new class of lightweight autonomous underwater vehicles that can be carried and deployed by personnel. The defence ministry announced the achievement on Friday.

What are the features of this vehicle?

This next-generation system features several underwater drones fitted with side-scan sonar units and sub-surface cameras, allowing them to identify suspicious, mine-like objects in real time, said a report by news agency PTI.

How does the vehicle work?

According to the defence ministry, these autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) use advanced deep-learning algorithms onboard to automatically recognise and categorise underwater targets. This capability cuts down the need for constant human monitoring and shortens overall mission duration, the report said.

The man-portable AUVs were designed and produced by the Naval Science and Technological Laboratory (NSTL), a DRDO facility based in Visakhapatnam, the report added.

DRDO to integrate Chinese PL-15 missile’s features into Astra Mark-2 programme

Previously, the DRDO was in the news when it had decided to integrate sophisticated capabilities observed in China’s PL-15 air-to-air missile into the Astra Mark-2 project. The decision came after experts conducted an in-depth examination of a PL-15 that failed to detonate when it was launched by a Pakistani aircraft during Operation Sindoor in May. The PL-15E missile was found completely undamaged in a field near Hoshiarpur in Punjab on May 9.

HT.com has not independently verified the authenticity of this information.

(With inputs from PTI)

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

Over 500 experts from India and abroad discuss breakthroughs in robotic and minimally invasive surgery while emphasising early diagnosis and multidisciplinary paediatric care.

The 51st annual conference and 60th diamond jubilee celebration of the Indian Association of Paediatric Surgeons (IAPSCON-2025) concluded on Monday, marking a milestone in advancing paediatric surgical care in India and beyond.

The landmark event, hosted by the department of paediatric surgery, AIIMS Bhubaneswar, in collaboration with the IAPS Odisha Chapter, was held in Puri.

Over 500 delegates, including eminent surgeons, researchers, academicians and trainees from across India and abroad, attended the four-day conference. The discussions centred on improving early diagnosis and surgical management of congenital anomalies — a leading cause of infant morbidity and mortality in India. Experts highlighted that timely surgical interventions could significantly improve survival and quality of life for affected children.

The conference theme, “Paediatric Surgeon for Birth Defects: A Road Towards Developed Nation,” reaffirmed IAPSCON’s commitment to promoting continuous learning, research, and technological innovation in paediatric surgery. The scientific sessions featured advances in minimally invasive and robotic surgery, fetal interventions, paediatric urology, oncology, trauma care and neonatal surgery.

Hands-on workshops, including endo trainer on wheels, robotic workshop on wheels, bronchoscopy, urodynamics and meta-analysis, provided valuable training for young surgeons. Delegates also discussed the importance of multidisciplinary collaboration, policy support and investment in specialised paediatric care infrastructure.

The event was held under the aegis of the Indian Association of Paediatric Surgeons, led by president Dr Sumitra Kumar Biswas and secretary general Dr Vikesh Agrawal, with support from the Odisha Chapter.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

The Mudh-Nyoma air force station is located at a height of 13,700 feet and is 23 km from the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China.

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh on Wednesday inaugurated the Mudh-Nyoma airbase in Ladakh by landing a C-130J special operations aircraft there, a shot in the arm for India’s infrastructure push along its farthest frontiers, officials aware of the matter said.

Singh was accompanied by Western Air Command chief Air Marshal Jeetendra Mishra, the officials said, asking not to be named. The Mudh-Nyoma air force station is located at a height of 13,700 feet and is 23 km from the contested Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China. The ₹218-crore project was spearheaded by a crew of women officers from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO). Defence minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the airbase in September 2023; he had then said it would be a “game-changer” for the armed forces.

The full-fledged airbase, with a 2.7-km runway, is capable of operating fighter jets, transport planes and helicopters. Allied infrastructure at the airbase includes hangars, the air traffic control building and hard standing (hard-surfaced areas for parking vehicles and aircraft). Work on upgrading the Nyoma airstrip to a full-fledged base for fighter operations was carried out by the BRO in the shadow of the military standoff with China along the LAC that began in April-May 2020 and was resolved last year.

The Indian Army resumed its patrolling activity in Demchok and Depsang in eastern Ladakh in 2024 after a gap of more than four years. This restored the ground situation in the two forward areas to what it was pre-April 2020, before the standoff began. With the breakthrough, the Indian Army and Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) moved past a two-year impasse in negotiations — the fourth and last round of disengagement from Patrolling Point-15 in the Gogra-Hot Springs area took place in September 2022 after which the talks were deadlocked.

BRO chief Lieutenant General Raghu Srinivasan had earlier described the Mudh-Nyoma airbase as one of the most important projects being executed by BRO in the Ladakh sector.

After the standoff with China began, India built various roads, bridges, tunnels, airfields and helipads in its border areas to enhance military mobility and logistics support for deployed forces, and for civilian use. Infrastructure development also focussed on providing a better living experience and improved facilities to soldiers, and the conservation of modern weapons and equipment deployed in forward areas.

To be sure, China has constructed new airbases, missile sites, roads, bridges, reinforced bunkers, underground facilities to protect military assets from aerial strikes, accommodation for soldiers and ammunition depots.

The Nyoma airstrip was out of use for decades after the 1962 India-China war before the Indian Air Force reactivated it in September 2009 and landed an AN-32 transport aircraft there for the first time.

India’s border infrastructure push has been powered by the speedy execution of strategic projects to support military operations, increased spending, and focussed adoption of technology and techniques.

Nyoma is in a better and flatter valley than Leh and closer to LAC, and thus will prove to be a crucial airbase for the IAF for both fighter and transport operations, strategic affairs expert Air Marshal Anil Chopra (retd) had earlier said.

“It will allow quicker launch of interdiction strikes, and troop and equipment insertion in the forward areas if needed.”

In its 2024 year-end review, the defence ministry said the overall situation along LAC with China is “stable but sensitive.” In June, India pushed for a permanent solution of border demarcation with China and underlined the need to solve complex issues through a structured roadmap of engagement and de-escalation, during talks between defence minister Rajnath Singh and his Chinese counterpart Admiral Dong Jun.

source/content: hindustantimes.com (headline edited)

The GSAT-7R is the successor to the GSAT-7 “Rukmini,” India’s first dedicated military satellite, launched in 2013. While Rukmini revolutionised naval communications by providing real-time data links across the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, the GSAT-7R significantly upgrades these capabilities.

The successful launch of India’s CMS-03 (GSAT-7R) aboard the LVM3-M5 rocket on November 2, 2025, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota will provide a major boost to the country’s pursuit of maritime security and technological self-reliance.

The 4,400 kg multi-band communication satellite, designed and developed indigenously by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), is the heaviest communication satellite launched into the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from Indian soil. It will play a crucial role in enhancing the Indian Navy’s operational reach, situational awareness, and surveillance capabilities across the Indian Ocean Region.

Secure communication coverage

The GSAT-7R is the successor to the GSAT-7 “Rukmini,” India’s first dedicated military satellite, launched in 2013. While Rukmini revolutionised naval communications by providing real-time data links across the Arabian Sea and the Bay of Bengal, the GSAT-7R significantly upgrades these capabilities. Equipped with multi-band transponders (UHF, S, C, and Ku bands), the GSAT-7R enables seamless voice, data, and video communication between naval ships, submarines, aircraft, and Maritime Operations Centres (MOCs). The satellite’s advanced payload ensures high-capacity, secure, and jam-resistant communication — vital for network-centric warfare and joint operations with the Army and the Air Force.

With a lifespan of 15 years, the GSAT-7R extends secure communication coverage up to 2,000 km from India’s coastline, encompassing vast stretches of the Indian Ocean Region. This expanded coverage will allow the Indian Navy to monitor critical sea lanes, chokepoints, and potential maritime threats more effectively. It will support continuous coordination among naval assets deployed on anti-piracy, anti-submarine, and humanitarian missions, ensuring real-time situational updates and rapid response capabilities.

Moreover, the GSAT-7R will enhance maritime domain awareness (MDA) by integrating space-based communication with surveillance platforms, such as coastal radars, reconnaissance aircraft, and unmanned systems. This synergy will allow the Navy to maintain an uninterrupted watch over the region’s dynamic maritime environment, strengthening India’s ability to deter and respond to any hostile activity.

According to experts, the launch of the GSAT-7R underscores India’s growing self-reliance in defence space technology under the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. By securing robust and indigenous satellite communication infrastructure, the Navy can operate independently of foreign systems, ensuring confidentiality and reliability in strategic operations.

Quantum leap

In essence, the GSAT-7R represents a quantum leap in India’s maritime communication and surveillance architecture, empowering the Indian Navy to maintain a vigilant, connected, and technologically advanced presence across the Indian Ocean Region.

The Navy’s satellites, sensors, radars, unmanned aerial vehicles, and surveillance aircraft relay real-time data to the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC), now being upgraded into a National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) platform. The NMDA will integrate data from multiple sources to create a unified operational picture for naval commanders. Using AI-enabled analytics, it will enhance situational awareness, improve surveillance, and support swift decision-making. The system will help detect and counter threats such as illegal fishing, smuggling, piracy, and maritime terrorism, strengthening India’s maritime security and safeguarding its strategic interests across the Indian Ocean Region.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

The list, compiled by Hurun India and EdelGive, an arm of the Edelweiss group, shows 24 new women entrepreneurs entering the list with Rohini Nilekani being the most generous with a contribution of Rs 204 crore.

Shiv Nadar and family have retained the top spot on the country’s ‘most generous’ list  with a donation of Rs 2,708 crore. The HCL Technologies founder increased his contribution by 26% from last year’s Rs 2,153 crore. The total donations by the ‘haves’, as recorded by the Philanthropy List 2025, increased by a healthy 22% to 10,500 crore from Rs 8,8783 crore last year.

 The list, compiled by Hurun India and EdelGive, an arm of the Edelweiss group, interestingly shows 24 new women entrepreneurs entering the list with Rohini Nilekani being the most generous with a contribution of Rs 204 crore.

Significantly, sectors like software and start-ups have emerged as big donors proportionate to their size. Some like Zirodha (the Kamath brothers) are bypassing the traditional donation routes like ‘education’ to provide funds for new concerns like climate change, noted Hurun India’s Anees Junaid.

 Mukesh Ambani and the Reliance Foundation are at second place with a donation of Rs 626 crore, up from Rs 407 crore last year. The group has a wide portfolio of beneficiaries including healthcare, sports development and heritage conservation.

At third and fourth place are legacy groups – the Bajaj family and Kumarmangalam Birla – with notable donations of Rs 446 crore and Rs 440 crore, respectively. Gautam Adani and the Adani Group were at fifth spot with a contribution of Rs 386 crore.

Answering questions, Hurun’s Junaid said the data collection did not do a deep dive to indicate ‘generosity’ in proportion of the size of the group. For instance Reliance Industries’ market capitalization is $240 billion while Mr Mukesh Ambani’s personal wealth stands at Rs 105 billion. A donation of Rs 626 crore with these parameters would pale into insignificance when compared to Kiran Mazumdar Shaw’s donation of Rs 83 crore from a group that generated just $2.2 billion in revenue last year and has a market capitalization of $7.5 billion.

 This year, 191 individuals featured on the Hurun-EdelGive list, lower than 203 donors of last year. However, the average donation saw an increase to Rs 54 crore from Rs 43 crore last year.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Born in Rajasthan’s rural heartland, Educate Girls’ community-driven mission to educate daughters has now earned India Asia’s highest honour.

An idea born in the heart of rural Rajasthan has travelled all the way to Manila. Educate Girls, a homegrown non-profit that has helped millions of Indian girls return to classrooms, was on Friday honoured with the Ramon Magsaysay Award, often described as the Nobel Prize of Asia.

The award, first announced in August, was formally presented at the Metropolitan Theatre in the Philippines’ capital, where founder Safeena Husain accepted the honour alongside members of her grassroots team.

Started in 2007, Educate Girls began as a modest effort in Rajasthan’s dusty hamlets, where girls’ education often took a backseat to household chores and early marriages.

Over time, it grew into a nationwide movement for change, now working across more than 30,000 villages in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar.

With the support of over 55,000 community volunteers, the organisation has brought more than two million girls back to school and provided remedial learning support to over 2.4 million children.

As she took the stage in Manila, Husain dedicated the award to the girls and community workers who form the backbone of the initiative.

“This award is for our girls — for their courage, grit and resilience,” she said. “Girls who manage homes by day and study late into the night to build a better future for themselves, their families and their country.”

She also credited the success of Educate Girls to its Team Balika volunteers — local youth who go door to door persuading parents to enrol their daughters in school.

“When communities come together to educate girls,” Husain said, “every girl gains opportunity, choice, voice and agency.”

Chief Executive Officer Gayatri Nair Lobo said the recognition was both an honour and a call to aim higher.

“It reminds us of the incredible power of people united by one purpose — to educate girls,” she said. “It fuels our ambition for the next milestone: 10×10 — reaching 10 million learners by 2035.”

The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation, in its citation, commended Educate Girls for “addressing cultural stereotyping through the education of girls and young women, liberating them from the bondage of illiteracy, and infusing them with skills, courage and agency to achieve their full potential.”

A 25-member team from Educate Girls, including field coordinators, volunteers and first-generation learners, travelled to the Philippines capital for the ceremony, drawing global attention to an idea that began in India’s most overlooked villages.

For an organisation built on the belief that “every girl deserves to learn,” the journey from the margins to Magsaysay marks not just an international accolade but also a moment of vindication — proof that when a community chooses to educate its daughters, it can rewrite its destiny.

source/content: telegraphindia.com (headline edited)

In August, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave the go-ahead for 97 LCA Mk1A jets to be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at a cost of around Rs 67,000 crore.

Amid concerns over the depleting number of combat squadrons in the Air Force, India and the United States have inked an agreement for the supply of engines for the LCA Mk1A fighter jets.

“Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has entered into an agreement with M/s. General Electric Company, USA, on 7th November 2025 for the supply of 113 Nos of F404-GE-IN20 engines and support package for execution of 97 LCA Mk1A programme,” said HAL on its social media handle.

“The engine deliveries would be from 2027 to 2032. The contract for 97 LCA Mk 1A was signed in September 2025,” it added.

The New Indian Express earlier reported that negotiations with GE for the engines were completed in September.

In August, the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) gave the go-ahead for 97 LCA Mk1A jets to be manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited at a cost of around Rs 67,000 crore. The new engines to be procured will be used for these combat jets.

In the meantime, the Mk-1A has completed weapons integration trials, including the firing of Astra and Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAM).

Giving the timeline of the deliveries, sources said the advanced LCA Mk2 is scheduled to be rolled out in 2027, while 83 Mk1A fighters are now expected by 2029, after a reported delay of four quarters.

The Tejas Mk1A is the newer and improved version of India’s single-engine, 4.5 generation delta wing multirole combat aircraft designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency. It will play an important role in mitigating the decrease in the quantity of combat jets and the overall fall in combat squadrons.

As earlier brought out by The New Indian Express, the IAF had ordered 83 LCA Tejas Mk 1A at a cost of Rs 46,000 crore in 2021. Once this new order is completed in the stipulated 15 years, the IAF will have 40 LCA, over 180 LCA Mark-1A and at least 120 LCA Mark-2 planes.

The fast dwindling combat fighter strength has resulted in anxiety in the IAF leadership. The 23 Squadron of the MiG-21 was number plated in September, bringing the current number of fighter squadrons below 30.

Officially, the IAF is supposed to have 42 squadrons of combat squadrons. A squadron comprises 16-18 aircraft.

In September, The New Indian Express noted the need for more combat squadrons than the sanctioned numbers to meet the contingency of a two-front conflict.

Tejas is a single-engine, lightweight multi-role fighter, originally meant to replace the MiG-21. The first indigenous LCA was inducted in July 2016. The first IAF Squadron to induct the Tejas was the No 45 Squadron, the ‘Flying Daggers’. Forty LCA Tejas Mk 1 fighters were ordered initially, of which 35 have been inducted till now.

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

Enumerators have been trained to use apps to help in digital collection and faster processing of Census data; the self-enumeration portal is open to the public in pre-test areas from November 1 to 7.

The Registrar General and Census Commissioner of India launched two mobile applications this week in preparation for the trial phase of the country’s first digital Population Census in 2027.

The pre-test for the first phase, House Listing and Housing Operations (HLO), where a total of 30 questions on housing amenities will be asked, will be held in select areas across the country from November 10 to 30.

The enumerators, including block development officials, revenue officials, and government school teachers, have been trained to collect data on the two applications available on Google Play Store: Digital Layout Map (DLM) and Census 2027-Houselist. The apps are compatible with both Android and Apple phones, and can only be downloaded by authorised personnel.

Public participation needed

The self-enumeration portal is available for testing from November 1 to 7.

“To encourage public participation, a Self-Enumeration facility will be made available through the Census Portal from 1 to 7th November 2025, allowing individuals residing in the areas selected for Pre-Test to submit their details online through the website https://test.census.gov.in/se , prior to field visits by enumerators,” a government statement said.

Digital mode

The DLM app’s description explains the evolution of India’s Census, the world’s largest data collection exercise, into a digital operation.

“Until the 2011 Census, data was collected on paper schedules, with layout map sketches prepared manually. These paper records were later digitised through scanning, a process that was both time-consuming and prone to inconsistencies. With the upcoming 16th Census of India, a historic transformation is taking place. For the first time, Census operations are being carried out in digital mode, ensuring improved accuracy, faster data availability, and enhanced monitoring. A crucial part of this transition is the preparation of Digital Layout Maps and the geo-tagging of all buildings within each Houselisting Block (HLB),” it says.

Records building information

It adds that the DLM app replicates the traditional methodology followed by supervisors and enumerators for drawing notional sketches for houselisting blocks, the primary unit for data collection, while introducing digital efficiency, accuracy, and real-time monitoring capabilities.

The app will record building coordinates (latitude and longitude for each structure), the names of localities, roads or streets, building numbers (if available; otherwise, temporary Census house numbers will be assigned by enumerators), building names (If available), building type (pucca or kutcha), building use (residential, partly residential, and non-residential), landmarks (mandatory), number of floors, and number of Census houses.

The description emphasised that “no personal information of the residents/occupants of the buildings are collected through this app.”

Speed, accuracy, reliability

The description for the House Listing Operation app says it was developed as part of the Census of India 2027 to modernise and streamline the data collection process. “By adopting this digital approach, the Census aims to enhance the speed, accuracy, and reliability of the house listing and housing census operations, laying a strong foundation for the upcoming population enumeration phase,” it says.

Both phases of the Census — houselisting and population enumeration — will be completed between April 1, 2026 and February 28, 2027. The second phase will also count the population by caste for the first time in Independent India.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)

India’s low costs and vast labour pool have long been an attraction for manufacturers.

Toyota, Honda and Suzuki are spending billions of dollars to build new cars and factories in India, a sign of the country’s growing importance as a manufacturing hub as Japanese automakers redraw global supply chains to reduce dependence on China.

Toyota, the world’s largest carmaker, and Suzuki, the leader in the Indian market with almost a 40% share, have separately announced investments totalling $11 billion to beef up manufacturing and export capabilities in the world’s third-largest auto market.

Honda said last week it will make India a production and export base for one of its planned electric cars.

India’s low costs and vast labour pool have long been an attraction for manufacturers.

Now, Japanese automakers are stepping up operations as they pivot away from China, both as a market and a manufacturing base, multiple industry executives said. Another benefit: India remains all but closed to Chinese EVs, so Japan’s carmakers – at least for now – won’t face bruising competition from BYD and others there.

A brutal price war among Chinese EV makers has made it difficult to turn a profit in China. Adding to the pain, Chinese carmakers are now expanding overseas and snatching market share from Japanese rivals in Southeast Asia.

“India is a good choice as a replacement market for China,” said Julie Boote, autos analyst at Pelham Smithers Associates in London, citing low profit margins in China.

“For the time being, the Japanese think it’s a much better market because they don’t have to deal with the Chinese competitors,” she said.

Other draws include the improved quality of India’s manufactured goods, and incentives from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, executives say.

Toyota and Suzuki each have majority ownership of their India units. Honda owns 100% of its business there.

TOYOTA GOES LOCAL IN INDIA

Japan’s annual direct investment in the Indian transport sector, which includes automakers, jumped more than sevenfold between 2021 and 2024, hitting 294 billion yen ($2 billion) last year.

As Japanese automakers revved up investment in India, they cooled on China: direct investment in China’s transport sector saw an 83% decrease over the same period, to 46 billion yen last year.

Toyota is working with Japanese and Indian vendors to lower costs and expand production of hybrid components. India is one market where it saw tight supply of hybrid parts amid a surge in demand this year.

It has localised its offerings, said an executive at a major Toyota supplier. “It is no longer about global specifications but about local ones.”

The Japanese automaker plans to launch 15 new and refreshed models in India by the end of the decade and deepen its rural network, Reuters reported last week. It aims to have 10% of the passenger car market before the end of the decade, from 8% now.

“The Indian market is extremely important and is set to grow in the future,” Toyota President Koji Sato told reporters at last week’s Japan Mobility Show, noting many other automakers were also paying attention to the market.

Last year Toyota announced more than $3 billion in investment to expand production at its existing factory in southern India by some 100,000 vehicles a year and build a new plant in western Maharashtra state that is expected to begin production before 2030.

That is expected to take Toyota’s Indian production capacity to more than 1 million vehicles.

At its quarterly earnings on Wednesday, the automaker cited the growing importance of India to profits, especially as the North American business has been impacted by tariffs.

HELP FROM MODI GOVERNMENT

India’s economic growth has averaged 8% over the past three fiscal years, a surge that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government wants to sustain by luring more foreign manufacturers. It is rolling out incentives to get them to produce goods for both domestic and global markets.

India manufactured about 5 million passenger cars last financial year, of which almost 800,000 were exported and the remainder sold in the domestic market.

Domestic sales grew about 2% from a year ago, while exports rose 15%.

Government limits on Chinese investment are effectively another form of help, making it difficult for new Chinese carmakers to enter and existing ones like SAIC’s MG Motor and BYD to expand.

“India’s protectionist stance toward neighbouring countries is a blessing in disguise for Japanese carmakers,” said S&P Global Mobility’s Gaurav Vangaal. “Because of this, they see an opportunity to expand investment in India, enhancing their cost competitiveness against domestic players.”

Local companies Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra have been expanding their offerings with SUVs, taking market share from Suzuki. Before the pandemic Suzuki had about 50% of the passenger car market.

And India is never an easy market. Foreign automakers such as Ford and General Motors previously struggled there and eventually exited.

HONDA WANTS TO GO FOUR WHEELS IN INDIA

For Honda, India is the biggest market for its highly profitable two-wheel business, and it now intends to ramp up its four-wheel business, Chief Executive Toshihiro Mibe told the mobility show.

Honda said its top three focus markets for the car business are the United States, followed by India and Japan.

It plans to make India the production and export base for one of its “Zero series” electric cars, with one model to be exported to Japan and other Asian markets from 2027.

Suzuki’s $8 billion investment in India is to mainly expand its local production capacity to 4 million cars a year, from some 2.5 million now. Its Indian business, Maruti Suzuki is the country’s top-selling carmaker and largest car exporter.

“We would like to grow India as Suzuki’s global production hub,” President Toshihiro Suzuki told reporters on the sidelines of the mobility show. “We would like to enhance exports from India.”

source/content: telegraphindia.com/ Reuters (headline edited0