“We, at Continental, appreciate the Indian government’s commitment to skill development and the successful training of 1.4 crore youth under the Skill India Mission. Advancements in technology mandate specialized skills and we have been speaking about this regularly. A skilled workforce is key in any sector and automotive technology is no exception. With all the focus on R&D in the automotive technology sector India, there is definitely a need to increase collaboration between the industry and academia in order to align with the evolving needs. 

The government’s commitment towards the EV ecosystem is also worth appreciation, and this is also in keeping with the needs of the current times, especially as the plan is to expand and strengthen support of manufacturing and charging infrastructure – both critical aspects for faster adoption. With the government encouraging greater adoption of e-buses for public transport through payment security mechanism, it gives the automotive sector an opportunity to explore the same as well.

With the allocation of a mega capital outlay for net-zero objectives, the Energy Transition Fund is also a positive move. This will also impact the automotive sector, especially in the development and adoption of new-age fuels like green hydrogen, ethanol, and biofuels. An alignment of the automotive sector’s R&D efforts with this government focus can help businesses stay ahead in the game.

We also appreciate the introduction of the scheme for bio-manufacturing and bio-foundry, recognizing its potential to promote green growth and provide environmentally friendly alternatives. Sustainability has been a key focus for Continental – from material to product and this will help us align with the government and also stay at the forefront of innovation keeping in mind sustainability.”