India’s Heavy Industries Minister Opens SIAT 2026 in Pune as ARAI Marks 60 Years
India’s Heavy Industries Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy inaugurated SIAT 2026, ARAI’s 19th biennial auto-tech symposium, in Pune.
- 19th
- 60 years
- 275
- 387
What Happened
The 19th Symposium on International Automotive Technology (SIAT 2026), ARAI’s flagship biennial event, opened at the Pune International Exhibition and Convention Centre in Moshi. Heavy Industries Minister H. D. Kumaraswamy inaugurated it during ARAI’s Diamond Jubilee Year, under the theme “Innovative Pathways for Safe and Sustainable Mobility.” The gathering brought together global leaders, technologists, researchers, policymakers, and innovators.
In his inaugural address, Kumaraswamy praised ARAI for 60 years of contributions to India’s automotive ecosystem. He highlighted India’s progress toward becoming the world’s third-largest economy and stressed the automotive sector’s role in manufacturing growth, exports, advanced R&D, and software-led mobility solutions. He reaffirmed government support through initiatives including the Capital Goods Scheme Phase II, FAME II, PLI Schemes, PM e-Drive Scheme, and the National Green Hydrogen Mission.
“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 net zero emissions.”
Shailesh Chandra, President of SIAM and Managing Director of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles and Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, said the industry is undergoing a global transformation driven by emerging technologies. He noted India’s global standing as the largest producer of three-wheelers, among the top two in two-wheelers, top four in passenger vehicles, and top five in commercial vehicles, with record vehicle exports in 2025. He also commended ARAI for facilitating knowledge exchange through SIAT since 1985.
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) Smart City Test Track
- Cylinder Testing Facility
- High Energy Impact Test Facility
SIAT Expo 2026 runs alongside the symposium, featuring 275 exhibitors from 10 countries and 387 booths, with dedicated pavilions for start-ups, MSEs, ADAS, AI, autonomous driving, and software-defined mobility. A Technology Theatre will host expert talks and panel discussions, and a Students’ Poster Presentation Competition will let undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD students showcase innovations.
Why this matters
The event highlights India’s push for safer, cleaner mobility, backed by new ARAI test facilities and government incentives. With India ranking among the world’s top vehicle producers, these developments could influence future safety and emissions standards for domestic buyers and the global auto industry.
Terms in This Story
- ADAS
- Advanced Driver Assistance Systems; safety technologies that help drivers with warnings and automated control.
- FAME II
- Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles; an Indian government scheme promoting electric and hybrid vehicle adoption.
- PLI
- Production-Linked Incentive; a government scheme offering financial incentives to boost domestic manufacturing.
- Net zero emissions
- A state where greenhouse gases emitted are balanced by removals, so overall output is zero.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.