NEW DELHI — India’s apex national body of the vehicle and vehicular engine manufacturers, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), has announced that it is postponing the Auto Expo — The Motor Show 2022 due to uncertainties around Covid-19.
The motor show was scheduled from Feb. 2 to Feb. 9, 2022.
“The Indian automobile industry and SIAM recognize the inherent risks in organizing the auto expo due to the ongoing Covid-19 Pandemic and the apprehensions of a possible third Wave,” SIAM said in a statement.
“The safety of exhibitors, visitors, and all stakeholders involved and present at the expo is the topmost priority for SIAM. There is uncertainty around how Covid-19 would develop in the coming months and at the same time organizing auto expo would need a lead time of preferably a year.”
The Auto Expo is a biennial automotive show held in Greater Noida, a metropolitan city in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The show is India’s flagship event wherein automobile manufacturers display their latest designs and models along with the launch of new products.
The expo began in 1986 and is jointly organized by the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA), Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), and SIAM.
The exact date for the next edition of the auto expo would be finalized later this year, keeping in view the Covid-19 situation and in alignment with the Organization Internationale des Constructeurs d’Automobiles (OICA) calendar of global auto shows.
“Auto Expo is like a festival of celebration for the Indian automobile industry, and we look forward to receiving maximum people with no fear of the spread of infection,” said Rajesh Menon, Director General of Society of Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).
“The magnitude of the risk of spread of infection is extremely high in a B2C [bussiness-to-comsumer] show like auto expo which is visited by large crowds and maintaining social distancing would be difficult. It has therefore been decided to postpone the auto expo for now.”
The 2020 Auto Expo recorded over 608,000 visitors and 352 products from 108 exhibitors. Around 70 products were launched at the expo that also included 35 electric vehicles.
The 2020 expo was the 16th edition of the biennial event but did not see the footfall like its previous editions.
Bajaj Auto, Royal Enfield, Audi, Jaguar Land Rover, Citroen, Ford, Yamaha, Ashok Leyland, Fiat, Jeep, Honda Cars, Hero MotoCorp, TVS Motor Company decided not to be a part of the 2020 Auto Expo.
Meanwhile, SIAM officials are expected to meet the Indian Transport Minister soon to seek more time to meet the tighter rules on fuel efficiency. The new rules were introduced to reduce carbon emissions.
The association is planning to seek a one-year delay in complying with the rules, which are due to take effect from April 2022.
The newly introduced Corporate Average Fuel Efficiency (CAFE) rules require automakers in India to reduce the average carbon emissions.
The rules aim at turning to green strategies such as promoting the usage of electric cars or vehicles using alternative fuels like ethanol.
(With inputs from ANI)
Edited by Amrita Das and Praveen Pramod Tewari
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