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Bajaj Auto mulls EV expansion out of Maharashtra on sops row
Business Line | 16 March 2026
- Bajaj Auto may shift EV manufacturing from Maharashtra over ₹75 cr unpaid subsidies and permit curbs.
- Karnataka and Tamil Nadu are in talks to attract the company’s future EV investments.
- Maharashtra accounts for 15-17% of its ICE three-wheeler sales; government calls dispute a “minor issue.”
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Bosch, Tata Autocomp to set up 50:50 JV
Business Line | 19 March 2026
- Bosch and Tata Autocomp form 50:50 JV to make e-axles and electric traction motors in India.
- Combines Bosch’s engineering with Tata’s manufacturing and localisation strengths.
- Aims to reduce costs and improve supply chain resilience amid rising EV demand.
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A first: 2-wheeler sales cross 20 mn in FY26
Business Standard | 23 March 2026
- Two-wheeler registrations hit 20.05 mn in FY26, surpassing pre-Covid peak.
- Electric penetration stalls at ~6.5%, far below NITI Aayog’s 13-15% target.
- GST cut on ICE vehicles narrowed price gap, making EVs less competitive.
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2 years on, automakers await clearance of FAME-II dues
Business Standard | 27 March 2026
- TVS, Ather, Tata Motors among those waiting for FAME-II subsidy reimbursements.
- Pending dues run into tens of crores; funds may lapse after March 31.
- Portal glitches and 120-day rule led to rejection of valid claims, hurting OEM balance sheets.
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JSW Motors ties up with Dassault to boost EV plans
Business Standard | 27 March 2026
- JSW Motors partners with Dassault Systèmes for digital platform to speed EV design and manufacturing.
- Modular architecture and virtual twins to cut costs and time-to-market.
- Part of JSW’s independent automotive push alongside its MG Motor JV.
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E-2-wheelers may get subsidy for 3 more mths
The Times of India | 27 March 2026
- E-two-wheeler subsidies likely extended till June; e-rickshaw sops may continue till March 2028.
- Utilisation: ₹1,260 cr of ₹1,772 cr for e-2Ws; ₹737 cr of ₹907 cr for e-3Ws.
- E-rickshaw makers struggle with localisation norms, limiting subsidy eligibility.
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Exide invests ₹450 crore in EV battery arm
Business Line | 27 March 2026
- Exide infuses ₹450 cr into EV battery subsidiary Exide Energy Solutions as gigafactory nears commissioning.
- Phase 1 capacity: 6 GWh; commercial production targeted H1 FY26.
- MoU with Hyundai, Kia provides offtake; ramp-up may weigh on near-term margins.
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Transition to e-mobility must be inclusive, sustainable: Minister
Business Line | 31 March 2026
- Minister Kumaraswamy calls for inclusive EV transition with focus on reliability and interoperability.
- Light electric vehicles (LEVs) central to strategy; cost-effective solutions can be exported.
- Launched industry consortium LEAF with Ather, Hero MotoCorp to drive collaboration.
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Panel endorses subsidy on e-tractors
Business Line | 19 March 2026
- Agriculture panel recommends subsidies for electric tractors to boost farmer acceptance.
- E-tractors reduce emissions and enable solar charging, aligning with net zero goals.
- Also calls for scaling rural EV charging infrastructure.
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Exclude aluminium from 50% cut in new RoDTEP norms: Industry body
Business Line | 17 March 2026
- Aluminium Association seeks exclusion from 50% RoDTEP rate cut, citing global tariff pressures.
- EU’s CBAM and US Section 232 duties already hurt India’s $7 bn aluminium exports.
- Asks for exemption similar to agricultural products.
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Tata Steel to invest $2 bn in overseas arm
Business Line | 18 March 2026
- Tata Steel to invest $2 bn in Singapore subsidiary for overseas operations and debt repayment.
- Merges Neelachal Ispat Nigam (NINL) to consolidate long products assets.
- Acquires Medica TS Hospital in Kalinganagar for ₹149 cr.
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Steel gains forged in demand, margins
Business Standard | 18 March 2026
- Steel stocks rally on strong domestic demand; consumption up 7% in 9M FY26.
- Steel price recovery and safeguard duty boost margins despite higher coking coal costs.
- Analysts positive on SAIL, Tata Steel, JSW Steel.
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Raw (Material) Wounds Run Deep, May Bleed Cos
The Economic Times | 19 March 2026
- Gulf conflict drives up raw material costs, freight, and energy prices.
- Margins under pressure across OMCs, paints, tyres, chemicals, and textiles.
- MSMEs seen as most vulnerable to cost shocks.
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Steel companies gearing up to hike prices further
Business Line | 25 March 2026
- Steel firms plan further price hikes due to rising coking coal and logistics costs.
- HRC prices already up 23%; another ₹1,000-2,000/tonne hike expected.
- MSME steel clusters hit by 70% gas supply cuts, risking shutdowns.
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Exporters seek moratorium on loan repayment for 6 mths
The Times of India | 17 March 2026
- Exporters ask RBI for six-month loan moratorium, higher credit limits amid West Asia crisis.
- Seek package similar to post-US tariff relief.
- Commerce secretary flags likely “southward trend” in March exports.
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'Vehicle scrappage network running at 25% capacity'
Business Line | 18 March 2026
- Formal scrappage facilities operate at 25% capacity; only 2.8 lakh vehicles scrapped in FY26.
- Resale value often exceeds scrap value, discouraging owners.
- Informal recycling dominates; lack of incentives slows inflow.
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NITI Aayog rejects auto firms request on definition of ZEVs
Business Line | 26 March 2026
- NITI Aayog rejects Tata, M&M, MG request to limit ZEVs to battery EVs.
- Upholds definition including flex-fuel, hybrid, CBG vehicles.
- Favours phased transition: first reduce diesel, then advance biofuels, finally full ZEVs
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Centre extends EV incentives under PM E-DRIVE scheme
Business Line | 29 March 2026
- PM E-DRIVE scheme extended to March 2028; e-2W incentives end July 2026.
- E-3W incentives continue till 2028, reinforcing focus on last-mile electrification.
- E-2W makers face “registration cliff” ahead of July deadline.
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PMO directs Transport Ministry to revise CAFE-2 norm penalties
Business Line | 30 March 2026
- PMO orders new mechanism for CAFE-2 penalty recovery; total fines cut from ₹8,800 cr to ₹2,700 cr.
- Standard penalty now ₹37.5 lakh per OEM for initial period.
- Hyundai’s penalty reduced to ₹355 cr; Honda and Renault’s increased.
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Fuel efficiency: At ₹2,728cr, fine on car cos cut to 1/3rd
The Times of India | 30 March 2026
- CAFE-2 penalties for nine carmakers revised to ₹2,728 cr, one-third of original estimate.
- New calculation allows credit pooling and trading between manufacturers.
- PMO pushes for consensus on CAFE-3 norms before final approval.
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Govt eyes flexible-fuel vehicles' faster rollout
The Times of India | 30 March 2026
- West Asia crisis spurs govt push for faster FFV rollout to reduce oil dependence.
- OEMs seek clarity on ethanol dispensing stations and compensation for 27-30% mileage loss.
- FFVs considered more viable than increasing ethanol blend in existing vehicles.
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MHI, DFS plan financing push for e-buses, e-trucks
Business Standard | 31 March 2026
- MHI and DFS work on financing mechanism for e-buses/trucks; Sidbi to design model.
- Banks reluctant to lend to small private operators with fragmented fleets.
- Proposed structure includes risk-sharing and interest subvention.
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Govt plans overhaul of skilling course content
Business Standard | 31 March 2026
- MSDE to launch pilot with flexible modules to replace rigid one-size-fits-all skilling content.
- New framework will allow sector-specific tailoring by training providers.
- Follows feedback that current structure lacks flexibility for diverse sectors.
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