The three-day Symposium on International Automotive Technology (SIAT) 2026 opened in Pune on 27 January 2026, bringing together automotive manufacturers, researchers, policymakers and technology providers to discuss developments in vehicle safety, clean mobility and advanced automotive systems. The event is being held during the Diamond Jubilee year of the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI).
Organised by ARAI in association with SAE International and SAEINDIA, SIAT 2026 focuses on future-ready transportation systems, including electrification, testing standards, connected mobility and sustainable manufacturing. The symposium aims to facilitate technical exchange between industry and academia amid structural changes underway in the automotive sector.
India’s Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy inaugurated SIAT 2026 and said that India’s automotive sector is positioned for sustainable and technology-driven growth. He stated that electric mobility is central to this transition, noting that it reduces dependence on imported fossil fuels, lowers emissions and creates opportunities for domestic manufacturing and innovation.
The minister also inaugurated three new facilities at ARAI’s Mobility Research Centre in Takwe near Pune, established to strengthen vehicle safety, security and advanced research capabilities. He said the new infrastructure would enhance India’s testing, validation and certification ecosystem and support the development of future mobility technologies.
During his address, Kumaraswamy referred to India’s broader economic context, stating that the country’s gross domestic product stands at USD 4.18 trillion and is projected to reach USD 7.3 trillion by 2030. He said manufacturing, including the automotive sector, will play a key role in sustaining this growth trajectory.
He outlined government initiatives supporting electric vehicle adoption and domestic manufacturing. The Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Electric Vehicles Phase II (FAME-II) scheme, with an outlay of INR 115 billion, has supported the adoption of more than 1.67 million electric vehicles and the sanctioning of over 9,000 public charging stations, he said. He added that the PM E-DRIVE scheme, with an allocation of INR 109 billion, has supported the sale of more than 2 million electric vehicles and the expansion of charging infrastructure.
The minister also highlighted the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for automobiles and auto components, with an outlay of INR 259.38 billion, aimed at increasing domestic value addition and global competitiveness. He said the PLI scheme for Advanced Chemistry Cell batteries targets the creation of 50 gigawatt-hours of manufacturing capacity, while a Rare Earth Permanent Magnet scheme, with a budget of INR 72.8 billion, seeks to promote indigenous production of critical components.
Addressing environmental concerns, Kumaraswamy said commercial vehicles account for more than 40 percent of transport-related pollution and require focused electrification efforts. He noted that INR 20 billion has been earmarked under the PM E-DRIVE scheme for the installation of more than 70,000 charging stations to support this segment.
Industry performance trends were also cited at the event. Vehicle production increased from 28.4 million units in the 2023–24 financial year to 31 million units in 2024–25, while exports rose from 4.5 million units to 5.36 million units during the same period.
ARAI, founded in 1966, is an automotive research, testing and certification organisation that provides homologation, standards development and applied research services to vehicle manufacturers and component suppliers in India.