Chennai: Indo-French Automotive Conclave 2019

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The Indo-French Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in association with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) organised the first edition of the 'Indo-French Automotive Conclave 2019' on 18th July 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Chennai.

Given the large presence of automotive giants in the State including major French players such as Michelin, Saint-Gobain, Renault, PSA, etc, the agenda of the event was to address the changing technological and manufacturing trends in the automotive industry as well as the emergence of electric mobility in India.

Following the welcome address by IFCCI’s Regional Director, Mr Yohann Samuel, a special address was delivered by Mr. Vinay Lakshman, Vice Chairman, International Linkages Sub-Committee, CII Southern Region & Managing Director, Rane Brake Lining Ltd. and a keynote address by Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Professor - Indian Institute of Technology, Madras who highlighted the topics of connectivity, shared mobility and electric mobility. Subsequently, the Regional Secretary of ACMA, Mr. Anil Kumar also presented the activities of the organisation.

The first panel discussion on Technology and Manufacturing Trends in the Automotive Sector in India was moderated by Ms Kosturi Gosh, Partner at Trilegal. The panelists for the session were Mr. Vinay Lakshman, Managing Director, Rane Brake Lining Ltd, Mr. Ranganathan B, Operations Manager, Michelin Tyres India and Mr. James Rajkumar, General Manager, Sundaram Clayton Ltd.

The panelists gave an insight into the technological changes in the industry and how it affected business models of companies as well as the importance of focusing on the concept of mobility most importantly. EVs, shared mobility, autonomous vehicles, budget and sustainability needs, smart factories – IoT, AI, Machine learning were some of points and trends discussed.  

The second panel discussion on the Emergence of Electric Mobility in India and its Impact on the Automotive Sector was moderated by Mr. Ravin Mirchandani, Executive Chairman, Ador Powertron. The panelists for the session were Mr. Shine Damodaran, Managing Director, Sicame Group, Mr. Thalavai Venkatesan, Head of Sales & Key Account Management – Continentals Automotive Business and Dr. N S Hari, GM & Head of Batteries Engineering, Ashok Leyland.

The focus during this session was on how the sector was evolving with electricity mobility and the necessity to adapt. The main points of discussion revolved around the following points: the EV roadmap for India, the readiness of the automotive industry and the opportunities & challenges of Electric Mobility in India.

After a very interactive Q&A session between the audience and panel members, the conclave concluded with a networking lunch. The event was attended by 70+ delegates.

We are thankful to our Associate Partners – Michelin and Trilegal and to our supporting partner – Origins, Mahindra World City.