Bharat Mobility Global Expo Will Be An Annual Event: Piyush Goyal

The recently concluded Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2024 was touted to be a biennial event, much like the Auto Expo. Both events were expected to co-exist, however, in a shocking announcement which has taken the industry by surprise, Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, has now announced that it will be an annual event. Goyal said, that there is a possibility that the Bharat Mobility Global Expo and the Auto Expo may be merged and that certainly leaves a question mark on the continuation of the Auto Expo.

Goyal commented, "The response we've received this year is a testament to the growing significance of the mobility sector in India. The expo has emerged as a key catalyst for driving innovation, showcasing the latest technologies, and shaping the future of mobility."

The expo had over 800 exhibitors including passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, two-wheelers and even component manufacturers and had a footfall of around 1,50,000 registered visitors. While this number does look good for a first-time event, it's a far cry from the 6,36,743 visitors (highest ever number) who had attended the Auto Expo 2023.

Acko Drive reached out to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the organisers of the Auto Expo, regarding this but it declined to comment at the moment. It will be interesting to see how things pan out in the future as Bharat Mobility is driven by the ministry and SIAM organises the Auto Expo. In the past few years at the Auto Expo, many manufacturers had shied away from the event, stating that it is an expensive affair but is the Bharat Mobility Global Expo not as high on price per square foot?

At Auto Expo 2023, Suzuki Motorcycle India was the only major, established two-wheeler manufacturer present. However, at the Bharat Mobility Expo, manufacturers like Royal Enfield, TVS, Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto and Honda Motorcycles and Scooters India were very much present, all of whom were a no-show at the 2023 Auto Expo.

Even on the four-wheeler side of things, companies like BMW, Audi, Porsche, Lamborghini, Volkswagen, Skoda Auto India who had not participated for a few years in the Auto Expo, all turned up for the Bharat Mobility Expo.

However, there were some vehicle manufacturers like BYD, Benelli, Matter, Moto Vault, Praviag and many others who weren't present at the Mobility Expo. Even VinFast, who was expected to make its India debut at the Mobility Expo, dropped out at the last minute for unknown reasons.

There were many a products showcased, and there were electric, hybrid, CNG and bio-fuel-powered vehicles was another important aspect of the Bharat Mobility Global Expo. For two-wheelers, the major theme was flex fuel as Royal Enfield showcased the Classic 350 flex fuel, which was among the highlights of the show.

Furthermore, the Nexon iCNG concept also fits the bill in the four-wheeler category. These showcases also underlined the Government of India and the Indian automotive industry’s commitment to driving innovations and progressive growth in a sustainable format.