New Delhi: TV9 network organised Auto9 Awards, where a 27-member jury, which included auto industry experts and leaders, judged the best cars and bikes
that the industry brought in 2025. At the event, Barun Das, MD and CEO of TV9 Network, spoke about the auto industry that has shaped the Indian economy in more recent times.
Speaking about the auto sector and the rate of expansion, Das noted that the scale of human mobility today is staggering. Collectively, people across the world drive close to 30 trillion kilometres every year, a distance equivalent to circling the Earth nearly 10 million times. Further, with almost 35 kilometres of highways being built every day, India’s road infrastructure is fast becoming a catalyst for economic growth, delivering a multiplier effect that often goes unnoticed and thanked Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari for this growth rate.
Automotive industry is the foundation of modern world
Das further noted that the automotive industry, it was noted, is foundational to the modern world. Without it, societies would remain isolated, distances daunting and economic progress severely limited.
In India’s case, the contribution of the automotive sector is immense. Nearly half of the country’s manufacturing GDP is driven by automobiles, accounting for over 7 per cent of the total GDP. The sector supports 37 million direct and indirect jobs, while contributing close to 15 per cent of total GST collections. It is noteworthy that India now produces more than 31 million vehicles annually, including five million passenger vehicles, 24 million two-wheelers, and around one million commercial vehicles and three-wheelers each.
Where India stands in the automotive sector?
This positions India as the world’s fourth-largest vehicle producer and the third-largest automotive market globally. Looking forward, the automotive world is on the cusp of a technological revolution. Autonomous vehicles, connected mobility, hydrogen fuel cells and synthetic e-fuels are no longer futuristic concepts. In some parts of the world, driverless taxis are already a reality, while flying cars and drone-based mobility are steadily moving from imagination to possibility.
With software, electronics and artificial intelligence forming the backbone of future mobility, India stands uniquely positioned to lead this transformation.
Barun Das, MD and CEO, of TV9 Network’s entire speech below:
Good afternoon, everyone. A very warm welcome. If I ask you, “How much do humans love to drive?” A lot apparently. If one were to take all the distance that we drive every year then it would be like circling the earth how many times? Any guesses? Well, I am told it’s about 10 million times. That’s about 30 trillion kilometres.
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to TV9 Network’s Auto9 Awards. Let me start by welcoming our Chief Guest today. The Honourable Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, Shri Nitin Gadkari ji, the man responsible for ensuring that driving in India isn’t just fun and safe but also vital to moving the economy itself. This realisation is evident in the world-class road network that Mr Gadkari is building across India. He is building nearly 35 kms of roads every day, and these roads are playing a vital role. A vital role in accelerating India’s growth. This is a multiplier effect that often doesn’t get the attention it deserves. So thank you, sir, for driving India’s mobility revolution.
I also extend my warm welcome to the leaders from the automotive industry and all other friends gathered here today. I think it would be no exaggeration to say that the world as we know today would not be possible without the existence of the automotive industry.
We would still be riding horses, distances would be formidable, societies would be isolated, resources scattered, economic output stunted, and the world would be poor.
The modern world rides on the power of the automotive industry. Take India, for instance. Nearly half of our manufacturing GDP comes from automobiles. That’s more than 7 per cent of the overall GDP. The automobile industry, including manufacturing components, logistics and services, provides 37 million direct and indirect jobs. 15 per cent of the GST collections come from automobiles. It is because of the innovation and relentless energy of this industry and its leaders that India today produces more than 31 million vehicles annually, including 5 million passenger vehicles, 24 million two-wheelers and 1 million each of CVs and three-wheelers.
That makes India the world’s fourth-largest producer and the third-largest market. As you are aware, TV9 Network’s Auto9 Awards are meant to honour the extraordinary achievements of this phenomenal industry. Today, we spotlight and honour great product ideas, innovations and people.
When we recognise and celebrate excellence, we set the stage for even more impactful innovations.
The global auto industry is already experimenting with breakthrough technologies like autonomous cars and connected cars. You can already hail driverless taxis in the US. Different fuel options are also emerging from hydrogen fuel cells to synthetic e-fuels. In fact, tomorrow’s mobility may not be tied to the road at all. Flying cars, drone-based personal mobility, and personal jet packs are all within the realm of the possible. Given that sophisticated software and artificial intelligence will be at the core of these innovations, India has a great opportunity to emerge as the leader in shaping the future of mobility. But the auto industry is not just about glitzy cars and bikes. In fact Commercial vehicles and mass transport systems like trucks and buses are also witnessing tremendous innovation. Ultimately, it is these innovations that define what kind of future we create for humanity.
A future that is prosperous, safe and sustainable. Today I salute the men and women driving India’s automotive industry and look forward to being inspired by the stories of their innovations and achievements. Gadkari sir, thank you once again for your exemplary leadership and passion.
Namaskar and Jai Hind.
