– ASDC Unveils Vision for a Skilled, Sustainable Automotive Sector at Bharat Mobility Expo
New Delhi, 18 Jan 2025: Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) made a strong showing at the Bharat Mobility Global Auto Expo 2025, India’s premier automotive event, with prominent displays at both the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre in Dwarka and Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. The stalls, inaugurated by ASDC’s President F R Singhvi, aimed to showcase the council’s crucial skilling initiatives and underscore the importance of attracting young talent to the automotive sector.
Speaking at the expo, F R Singhvi, who also serves as JMD of Sansera Engineering Pvt Ltd, emphasized the event’s alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision for a greener India, focusing on advanced energy storage, green hydrogen, and e-mobility. “The battery is the core of this industry,” Singhvi stated, citing the India Battery Manufacturing Vision, which projects over 2.6 million jobs and a USD 35 billion investment by 2035. He further highlighted the rapid growth of EV sales as a cleaner alternative and reiterated the government’s ambitious goal of 30% vehicle fleet electrification by 2030.
Singhvi highlighted the surging adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) in India, propelled by the government’s ambitious target of 30% fleet electrification by 2030. “Achieving 100% localization of EV components will require adding 30,000 EV-ready workers annually,” he said. By 2030, the automotive sector will need up to 2 lakh skilled professionals to support this transformative vision. He added, “The auto industry’s biggest challenge lies in addressing the shortage of skilled manpower equipped for the electric vehicle sector.”
Vinkesh Gulati, Vice President, ASDC, forecasted substantial growth in India’s domestic EV market, stressing the need for rapid upskilling, reskilling, and fresh skilling to keep pace with global trends. “The transition from Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles to EVs demands expertise across multiple disciplines, including electrical, mechanical, chemical, and electronics engineering,” Gulati explained. He pointed out that technical overlaps between ICE and EV technologies are minimal, necessitating targeted training programs for existing and new talent pools.
Arindam Lahiri, CEO, ASDC reiterated the stalls’ purpose: showcasing the importance of skilling for the EV industry and attracting young professionals. He emphasized the need for industry outreach to academic institutions and participation in expos to expose students to the exciting opportunities within the automotive sector. ASDC is committed to bridging the industry-academia gap through faculty involvement in industry experiences and regular student interactions. The stalls highlighted various skilling initiatives and programs designed to address skill gaps within the industry.
ASDC also emphasized the importance of hiring assessed and certified professionals to improve talent retention and address skill mismatches during recruitment. The council invited expo attendees to visit their stalls to learn more about their skilling initiatives and encouraged stakeholders to collaborate in bridging the automotive industry’s skill gap.