2nd Fortnight - May 2026 Read online
Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI)

www.indianforging.org | +91 9322450873

Key Press Reports
Automotive Industry

Auto exports rise 38%, driven by gains in emerging markets

Business Line, 18 May 2026

  • April vehicle exports jumped 38% YoY, led by motorcycles (+36% to 4.26 lakh units).
  • Two-wheelers standout performer; Bajaj Auto sees Nigeria and Latin America as volume drivers.
  • Hyundai, Maruti, Bajaj all reported strong export growth; overseas markets becoming key growth lever.

MSIL starts production at Kharkhoda facility's 2nd unit

Business Standard, 19 May 2026

  • Second unit at Kharkhoda (250,000 units/year) begins production; total MSIL capacity now 2.65 million units.
  • First unit started in Feb 2025; Kharkhoda will eventually produce 1 million vehicles annually.
  • Chairman Bhargava says growth constrained by capacity, not demand; factories running at 100%.

Bharat Forge to build India's first pvt MGT facility in AP

Business Standard, 20 May 2026

  • Bharat Forge to set up India’s first private marine gas turbine repair & overhaul facility in Andhra Pradesh.
  • Phase 1: repair complex with hot section restoration; Phase 2: development, assembly, and hot test cell.
  • Will support Aatmanirbhar Bharat and enhance Indian Navy’s operational capabilities.

Automakers Remodel Supply Chain Strategy

The Economic Times, 22 May 2026

  • Auto component inventories stretched from 30-45 days to 3-6 months, shifting from "just-in-time" to "just-in-case".
  • Disruptions from geopolitics, semiconductor shortages, and critical minerals drive the change.
  • Smaller suppliers bear brunt as working capital requirements surge with inventory build-up.

Maharashtra tops vehicle sales in FY26, UP leads in two-wheelers

Business Line, 21 May 2026

  • Maharashtra topped PV sales (5.64 lakh units, 12.1% share) and CV sales (1.61 lakh units, 15% share) in FY26.
  • Uttar Pradesh led two-wheeler sales (31.8 lakh units, 14.7% share) and three-wheeler sales (99,000 units).
  • Growth driven by GST 2.0, income tax relief, and repo rate cuts.

ASK Automotive bets on aluminium components as segment grows 30% in FY26

Business Line, 21 May 2026

  • ALPS (aluminium lightweighting) division grew 30% to ₹2,121 crore, overtaking brakes as largest segment (50.8% revenue).
  • Consolidated FY26 total income ₹4,196 crore (+16.2%), net profit ₹297 crore (+20.1%).
  • Q4 income up 35.3% YoY; company transforms into diversified lightweight components maker.

TSF Group, Bosch plan JV for electronic air systems for CVs

Business Line, 21 May 2026

  • TSF Group (Wheels India, Brakes India) and Bosch propose 50:50 JV for electronically-controlled air system products.
  • Combines Bosch’s electronics/software with TSFE’s mechanical/pneumatic expertise.
  • Products include air compression, processing, suspension, and parking brakes for global CV market.

Punjab tops FY26 PV sales growth, Gujarat in two-wheelers

Business Standard, 21 May 2026

  • Punjab recorded highest PV sales growth at 16.29% YoY (1.82 lakh units) in FY26.
  • Gujarat topped two-wheeler volume growth at 21.57% YoY (1.569 million units).
  • Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Maharashtra also saw strong PV growth; Odisha, Maharashtra strong in 2Ws.

Icra projects up to 5% growth in 2W sales

Business Standard, 21 May 2026

  • Icra projects 3-5% wholesale volume growth for two-wheelers in FY27, constrained by high base and weak monsoon forecast.
  • April domestic 2W wholesales jumped 29% YoY to 1.9 million units, driven by GST 2.0.
  • Electric 2W retail grew 68% YoY in April to 1.54 lakh units; penetration rose to 8%.

Bhargava puts biogas ahead of hybrids

Business Standard, 21 May 2026

  • RC Bhargava says biogas vehicles should get more incentives than hybrids, as biogas is net-zero and produces organic manure.
  • Hybrids should have higher GST than EVs but lower than petrol/diesel; rejects hybrid-EV tax parity.
  • Maruti has E30 technology; flex-fuel not practical due to insufficient ethanol availability.

Honda to launch 10 cars by 2030, six this year

Business Line, 23 May 2026

  • Honda plans 10 products by 2030, six launches in FY27, including sub-4m SUV and midsize models.
  • No hatchbacks; Amaze remains entry-level car; sedans still have strong demand (CAGR 8.5-9%).
  • India among top three focus markets; West Asia crisis not impacting Indian demand.

Production normalising after temporary disruptions in TN facility: Royal Enfield

Business Line, 25 May 2026

  • Production at Cheyyar plant returning to normal after labour shortages, elections, LPG shortages, and power disruptions.
  • No structural demand correction; inquiries and bookings remain very good.
  • ₹958 cr brownfield expansion to raise capacity from 14.6 lakh to 20 lakh units by FY28.

Ashok Leyland, VRL Logistics deepen partnership with order for 715 vehicles

Business Line, 26 May 2026

  • Ashok Leyland bags order for 715 vehicles from VRL Logistics (AVTR 3120 trucks, Boss 1615 trucks, Oyster buses).
  • 300 trucks already delivered; remaining 415 scheduled for execution this year.
  • Strengthens partnership for higher logistics efficiency.

Ashok Leyland Q4 profit rises 11% as CV, export volumes hit a record high

Business Line, 29 May 2026

  • Q4 net profit up 11% to ₹1,381 crore; revenue up 16% to ₹14,980 crore.
  • FY26 CV volumes at all-time high of 2.20 lakh units; exports at historic high of 18,082 units (+18.5%).
  • Switch Mobility e-bus volumes surged 238% to 1,530 units; e-LCV volumes up 56%.

Domestic market drives growth for MM Forgings amid global slowdown

Business Line, 30 May 2026

  • Domestic sales share rose to 71% in Q4 (from 63% previous quarter) as US & Europe softened.
  • Q4 net profit up 36% to ₹45 crore; revenue up 12% to ₹423 crore.
  • FY26 net profit down 18% to ₹99 crore despite 4% revenue growth; US truck market slow but improving.
Electric Vehicles

Keto Motors drives into BSE, thanks to reverse merger

Business Line, 20 May 2026

  • Keto Motors listed on BSE via reverse merger with Taaza International; shares closed at 5% upper circuit at ₹110.23.
  • New promoters hold 92.49% stake after allotment of 5.6 crore shares.
  • Scaling electric bus manufacturing (₹300 cr project in Telangana) and Urbanova KE9 e-bus platform.

India lags peers in EVs' share of total car sales

Business Standard, 28 May 2026

  • India’s EV share of new car sales was just 4% in 2025, vs global average 25% (IEA data).
  • Nepal at 68%, China 53%, Vietnam 41%, Thailand 23%; Norway leads at 97%.
  • Lack of charging stations key reason; only 55% of Indian EV owners have home charging (vs 80-90% in West).
Raw Material

Global crude steel output falls 1.9% in April; India posts growth

Business Line, 26 May 2026

  • Global crude steel output fell 1.9% in April to 153.4 mt; India’s output up 3.9% to 13.8 mt.
  • India remains second-largest producer after China; Jan-Apr output up 9.4% to 58.7 mt.
  • Middle East output plunged 27.6%; North America rose 6.9%; China down 2.8%.
Government Policies

Quality compliance must for Indian exporters under EU FTA

Business Line, 20 May 2026

  • Indian exporters must meet stringent EU quality regulations to benefit from India-EU FTA tariff elimination.
  • FTA includes mechanisms (early warning, rapid action, joint committees) to challenge trade-restrictive regulations.
  • 99.5% of Indian exports to get preferential tariff; labour-intensive goods facing 10-26% duties will benefit.

E-buses & E-trucks may get Interest Subvention Scheme

The Economic Times, 22 May 2026

  • Govt considering interest subvention of 3-5% for 50,000 e-buses (₹5,760 cr) and 10,000 e-trucks (₹1,200 cr).
  • E-bus costs ~₹1.20 cr vs ₹60 lakh for diesel; e-truck ~₹1.22 cr vs ₹58 lakh for diesel.
  • Could unlock ₹70,000-80,000 crore private investment in commercial EVs.

CAFE III, ADAS norms will drive growth for auto-parts makers

Business Line, 25 May 2026

  • CAFE III (April 2027) and mandatory ADAS norms to increase electronics, software, and emission-control content per vehicle.
  • Bosch, Schaeffler, Sona Comstar among beneficiaries; content per vehicle becomes key growth lever.
  • ADAS in CVs still early stage, creating large opportunity for radar, camera, and sensor suppliers.

Engineering goods exports rise 8.8% in April despite fall to UAE, Saudi Arabia

Business Line, 29 May 2026

  • April engineering goods exports up 8.8% YoY to $10.35 billion, despite West Asia disruptions.
  • Exports to UAE fell 37.1%, Saudi Arabia down 9.7%; but US (+4.9%), UK (+40.8%), Germany (+27.8%) rose.
  • Exports to Oman increased, positive indicator following India-Oman CEPA.
Access all press reports in a single PDF Format
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Government Notification
    • IBBI Simplifies Insolvency Process for MSMEs, 19 May 2026
    • Anti-Dumping Duty on MIPA Imports from China,22 May 2026
    • BHAVYA Scheme to Strengthen India’s Manufacturing Ecosystem through Integrated Industrial Infrastructure, 23 May 2026
Recent Activities
    • GeM Portal Training Session, 22nd May 2026, Pune
    • Visit to Marathwada Auto Cluster and Western Region Meeting, 29th May 2026, Chhatrapati SambhajiNagar (Aurangabad)
Upcoming Activities

 

    • Session on “Income Tax Act 2025 : Key Changes Effective 1st April 2026”, 11th June 2026, Virtual
    • GST Certification Programme, 15th June - 8th July 2026, Virtual
    • Western Region Meeting, 26th June 2026, Pune
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