Dear Friends,

It's hard to believe that a year has already passed since I assumed the role of President at FADA in August 2022. I'm thrilled to report that our Federation continues to grow and thrive with each passing year, thanks to the unwavering support and contributions from my colleagues on the Managing Committee, Executive Committee, Governing Council, State Chapters, and all of you who have been instrumental in making each of our initiatives a resounding success.

Rather than delving into the exhaustive details of our Federation's activities, I would like to direct your attention to the Annual Report we have shared with you before our 59th AGM. This comprehensive report not only covers the activities of FADA but also provides valuable insights into the performance of the automotive industry. I urge you to take out time to carefully review the report and share your feedback and suggestions with me. Annual Report is now available on FADA website under the member’s section.

During our recently concluded 59th Annual General Meeting, which took place on September 14, 2023, at Hotel Le Meridien, New Delhi, we were fortunate to have a large gathering of our members. The open discussions during the meeting were filled with praise for FADA's efforts in reaching out to the dealer community. Additionally, some valuable suggestions were put forth and we will be giving them serious consideration as we chart our future course of action.

This AGM was aligned with our 5th Auto Retail Conclave held at the same venue. The Conclave witnessed participation from more than 500 attendees, 26 distinguished speakers and 14 partners, making it a grand and significant event. Every year, the number of participants at the conclave is increasing. The day is not far, when we shift ARC also to Taj Palace, the way we shifted our flagship Event, Auto Summit!

We were honoured to have esteemed guests at the Inaugural Session of the Auto Retail Conclave, including Mr. Nitin Gadkari ji, Hon'ble Union Minister, Ministry of Road & Highways who was the Chief Guest, along with Mr. Vinod Aggarwal, President of SIAM, and Ms. Shradha Suri Marwah, President of ACMA as Guests of Honour.

In line with our commitment to environmental conservation, we welcomed our distinguished guests through the "Sustainable Welcome Initiative." Instead of traditional flower bouquets, we presented certificates signifying the planting of groves of saplings on behalf of our guests. These saplings will be nurtured by our esteemed partners at the Give Me Trees Trust, ensuring their long-term growth and contribution to environmental well-being.

In my Presidential address, I commended the Hon'ble Minister for his visionary initiatives that have transformed our highways into world-class expressways, facilitating the surge in vehicular sales. I also expressed our gratitude for the Ministry of Road Transport's efforts in streamlining the buying and selling of vehicles with the notification of new Central Motor Vehicle Rule, 1989.

To make entry-level two-wheelers in the 100-125 cc range more affordable to the public, I once again requested the Hon'ble Minister to recommend a reduction in the GST rate for these vehicles from 28% to 18%. Additionally, I presented the Minister with three representations addressing the concerns of the Dealer community, including the implementation of the new Central Vehicle Rules in all states, the appointment of FADA President on ministerial policy-making committees and the adoption of an Auto Dealer Protection Act.

I also shared with our audience FADA’s initiatives, such as the "Buckle Up Campaign" aimed at promoting road safety by raising awareness about seat belts and helmets. Furthermore, we are actively reducing carbon emissions through our "Green Initiative Drive," which involves gifting a sapling with each vehicle sale to reduce the carbon footprint generated by vehicles.

In the spirit of promoting road safety, the Hon'ble Minister led the Auto Dealers in the audience to take Road Safety pledge.

We were profoundly honoured to have Gadkari ji officially unveil our Coffee Table Book, entitled 'Golden Dealerships in Auto Retail Business.' This esteemed publication commemorates the landmark journeys of 57 distinguished automobile dealerships that have achieved the noteworthy milestone of 50 years in the auto retail sector, thereby enriching our celebration. Subsequently, we had the privilege of recognizing 38 of these venerable dealerships in a special ceremony, where they were presented with commemorative mementos, certificates and copies of the Coffee Table Book.

Mr. Gadkari congratulated the Indian automobile industry for becoming the 3rd largest automobile manufacturer globally and urged dealers to take the initiative in setting up scrapping centres, fitness centres, and driving training centres. He emphasized that this not only rejuvenates the business but also aligns with the country's mission of promoting green mobility. Mr. Gadkari encouraged manufacturers to work closely with dealers to enhance revenue generation.

During the Conclave, two significant memorandums of understanding (MOUs) were signed. One was between FADA and Lawyered, a legal tech platform, to enhance the automotive industry's customer experience and support services in India. The other was between FADA and Onsurity Technologies, aimed at developing a specialized insurance plan tailored to the dealership industry's unique needs.
These MOUs underscore FADA's commitment to providing comprehensive solutions for its members and setting new benchmarks within the dealership sector.

Moreover, Honda Cars India Ltd. adopted 83% of the Model Dealer Agreement drafted by FADA, making them the second company to do so after MG Motor India. We acknowledged and felicitated Honda Cars India Ltd. for their collaborative and forward-thinking approach.

Two panel discussions were held during the Conclave to discuss the Dealer Satisfaction Study 2023 Survey report. The first panel focused on the strengths and opportunities in the 2-Wheeler and 3-Wheeler segments, while the second panel explored the hits and misses in both Passenger Vehicles and Commercial Vehicles, shedding light on the unique qualities and growth prospects of these segments.

For the inaugural time, we had the distinct honour of hosting representatives from two titans of the digital industry—Google and Meta—at the 5th Auto Retail Conclave ARC. Recognizing the imperative role of digitization in today's fast-evolving market landscape, the Conclave featured two specialized sessions aimed at knowledge sharing and strategic planning. The first session, entitled "MOVE WITH META: Lead Generation Solutions for Dealers," explored the dynamic evolution of automotive retail and elucidated how Meta's suite of digital tools can be strategically leveraged to augment online presence and catalyse sales. The subsequent session, "Turbocharge Your Business ROI with Google," offered valuable insights into reengineering marketing strategies for optimal online performance. Looking forward, we are excited to announce that we will be forging collaborative partnerships with both Google and Meta to host a series of both physical and virtual sessions, designed to further empower the Indian auto retail sector in its digital transformation journey.

With over 10,000 Dealer Principals and approximately 4.5 million employees in the retail industry, FADA Academy & Research Chairman, Mr. Vinkesh Gulati, outlined the academy's future plans. He announced the relaunch of two programs, "Leadership and Management for Entrepreneurs" and "Management by Dashboards," much to the delight of the participants, slated for November-December '23.

Additionally, we presented 13 awards to honour the winners of FADA's Dealer Satisfaction Study 2023, which was conducted in association with PremonAsia, a Singapore-based consumer-insight consultancy. These awards recognized top-performing OEMs in CV, 2W, PV (Mass), PV (Luxury), and Creme de le Creme categories. I am happy to share the winners who were recognised during the conclave. This included:

Commercial Vehicle Segment:
Winner: VECV-Eicher Motors
First Runner-up: Tata Motors CVD
Second Runner-up: Ashok Leyland

2W Category:
Winner: HMSI (Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India)
First Runner-up: Royal Enfield
Second Runner-up: Hero MotoCorp

Passenger Vehicle (Mass Segment):
Winner: Hyundai Motor India
First Runner-up: Maruti Suzuki India
Second Runner-up: Mahindra & Mahindra

Special Jury Award in Passenger Vehicle (Luxury Segment):
Winner: Mercedes
First Runner-up: Audi
Second Runner-up: Lexus

Crème de la Crème Category:
Hyundai Motor India

I am happy to share that both VECV-Eicher Motors & HMSI maintained their leadership positions for the third consecutive year in their respective categories. It's a testament to their commitment to excellence and the satisfaction of their dealer networks. Congratulations once again to both HMSI and VECV-Eicher Motors on this remarkable accomplishment!

I also take this opportunity to thank our esteemed Speakers: Mr Nitin Gadkari ji, Hon'ble Union Minister, Ministry of Road Transport & Highways; Mr Vinod Aggarwal, President SIAM; Ms Shradha Suri Marwah, President ACMA; Mr Kunal Behl, Vice President Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India Ltd; Mr Diego Graffi, Chairman & Managing Director, Piaggio Vehicles Private Limited; Mr Ranjivjit Singh, Chief Business Officer – India Business Unit, Hero MotoCorp Ltd; Mr Ravneet S Phokela, CBO, Ather Energy; Mr Siddarth Bapna, Co-Founder & Director, Blueverse India; Mr Dharma Teja, Director, Ninestar Motorcycles Bangalore Pvt Ltd; Mr Ketan Thakkar, Group Business Editor, Autocar India & Autocar Professional; Ms Geetika Vig, Client Partner, Automotive, Meta; Ms Sharanbir Kaur, Client Solutions Manager, Automotive, Meta; Mr Yogesh Agarwal, Founder & CEO, Onsurity; Mr Kulin Shah, Co-Founder & COO, Onsurity; Mr Amandeep Singh, President LCV, International Operations, Defence, Power Solution Business, Ashok Leyland; Mr HO Suri, MD & CEO, IFFCO TOKIO General Insurance Co. Ltd ; Mr Hardeep Singh Brar, Vice President & Head of Marketing & Sales, Kia Motors India Pvt Ltd; Mr Nalinikanth Gollagunta, CEO - Automotive Division, Mahindra Group; Mr Rajesh Kaul, Vice President, Tata Motors Ltd - CVBU; Mr Tarun Garg, Chief Operating Officer, Hyundai Motor India Ltd; Mr Sachin Shah, Director, Sutaria Auto Centre; Mr Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor, Autocar India; Mr Vinkesh Gulati, Chairman FADA Academy & Research; and Ms Deepti Matai, Head of Industry, Auto, Google

I also express my sincere gratitude to our partners: Blueverse India; Shimnit India; Azure Autoverse; Google; HDFC Bank; HDFC ERGO; META; New India Assurance; Rosmerta; AU Bank; AkzoNobel; Lawyered; ATS Elgi, and Cholamandalam Investment & Finance Company for their help in making this event really large.

In a ground-breaking development, our first-ever FAR East Meeting was successfully held at the Taj Vivanta in Guwahati on September 2, 2023. The gathering was a historic moment, marked by the participation of State Chairpersons from nearly all the FAR East states. Esteemed colleagues, including Mr. Wangchu Khrimey of Arunachal Pradesh, Mr. Arvind Goyal of Assam, Dr. Franklin Lalrinngheta of Mizoram, Mr. Andy Mangsatabam of Manipur, Mr. Manish Agarwal of Meghalaya, and Mr. Rajdeep Ojha of NEADA, joined me for this pivotal meeting along with few Regional Directors from various far east states. I along with our CEO Mr. Saharsh Damani attended this important meeting.

The meeting provided an invaluable platform for substantive dialogue on a range of pressing issues. Key topics included advocating for the implementation of MoRTH-notified rules of new CMV Rules, 1989, to the Transport Commissioners; addressing the critical need for training schools to provide skilled manpower to dealerships; and announcing the first ever Vyapar event slated for February 9, 2024, in the North East. The session also delved into the creation of mechanisms to combat manpower poaching, proposals for enabling trade certificates for multi-outlet dealerships within single states and strategies to curb cross-state sales. The productive outcomes of this meeting lay a strong foundation for ongoing collaboration and effective policy implementation within the automotive retail sector in the FAR East states.

During the month and on the sidelines of SIAM Annual Convention, we had the opportunity to engage with Mr. Girish Wagh, Executive Director of Tata Motors, to advance our discussions on MDA. Mr. Wagh indicated his intention to place this topic on SIAM's upcoming agenda, thereby facilitating a candid dialogue with all participating Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs).

WIF, under the Chairmanship of Ms. Garima Misra, hosted a webinar on HR Practices of Anaamalais Toyota - Anaamalais Recipe of Success. The session, taken by Mr. CS Vigneshwar, Vice President, FADA & Dy. Managing Director of Anaamalais Toyota, was attended by WIF members and their HR officials in large numbers.

Ms. Rashmi Kale, WIF Director Chhattisgarh, organized a monthly meeting with WIF members in the state. Nine women entrepreneurs in auto retail business in Chhattisgarh, from all over the state including Raipur, Bilaspur, Bhilai and Jagdalpur, attended the meeting, forging better understanding and bonding among community members.

I'm pleased to share that Mr. Vinkesh Gulati, Chairman of FADA Academy & Research, has been elevated to the position of Vice President at ASDC. Under his leadership, FADA expects ASDC to address the skilled manpower crisis faced by the retail industry by opening certified skill training centres across the country.

As you know, September 19th, chosen as Auto Dealers Day, aligns with the foundation day of your Federation. This annual observance recognizes the vital role of Auto Dealerships in driving economic growth and advancing sustainability within the Industry.

The day epitomizes the unity and shared vision of our industry in advancing both mobility and environmental sustainability. To mark this landmark occasion, we unveiled Auto Dealers Day Logo & Theme during ARC. On the D-Day, more than 15,000 dealerships engaged in planting saplings at over 27,000 outlets nationwide. This collective effort serves as a tangible expression of our unwavering commitment to a cleaner, greener and more sustainable future. Together, we aim to effect meaningful change and leave an enduring imprint on the automotive retail ecosystem.

As we celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, I extend my warmest wishes for a prosperous sales season to each of you. Let's seize the festive spirit to accelerate our efforts, making this celebration truly memorable.

Sincerely,

 

Manish Raj Singhania
President