Achieves a Milestone - Opening South Zone Office Soon!

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to share that we at FADA are consistently engaged in a series of initiatives to support and expand our presence in the auto retail sector.

I’m also proud to inform you that FADA’s retail automobile data has been explicitly cited in the Government's Economic Survey 2024–25 as the primary source. Additionally, PMO India tweeted the auto retail sales figures released by FADA in January 2025.

These endorsements from one of the nation’s highest offices further solidifies FADA’s position as the most reliable authority on true retail numbers in the automobile sector. It is the result of our growing influence and the trust placed in our insights at the policy-making level. This achievement belongs to all of us and reflects the collective efforts of every FADA member.

Therefore, I urge each one of you to actively participate in the surveys conducted by our Federation, as they provide a platform for our voices to be heard.

To further support the two-wheeler dealers, who represent a significant portion of the auto dealer community, FADA has reactivated the Two Wheeler Vertical under the leadership of Mr Pradeep Agarwal, Treasurer - FADA. In recent meetings, the vertical has constituted a core committee, including a Chairperson, Vice Chairperson, four zonal heads and National Level; State Two-Wheeler Directors, and Regional Directors at the state level. Additionally, three mentors have been appointed to guide the vertical, ensuring it operates in a structured way to address the concerns of two-wheeler dealers nationwide.

The committee has set ambitious targets for the next 2 years. Furthermore, to tackle the challenges posed by MBOs, the vertical plans to release a whitepaper offering a workable solution.

For the benefit of our two-wheeler dealer members, FADA Academy will also be conducting a training program, "Mastering Profitability: Financial Management for 2W Dealers," on 4th March 2025. Once the promotion for the same begins, I encourage all of you to register in large numbers and take advantage of this virtual program.

Additionally, FADA Academy plans to organise a week-long program to enhance Excel skills viz., ‘Master Excel with Excellence in Excel 2.0 – A Certified Program by FADA Academy’. Please get your teams enrolled for this course to gain the maximum benefit as their proficiency in excel will help in better time management & accuracy at the workplace.

As part of the Knowledge Series, FADA recently organized a webinar on the Consumer Protection Act, presented by AOR, Mr Anand S Jha, to educate members on key legal matters. Soon, a webinar will now be conducted on the newest area of Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023, by AOR, Mr Anand Kumar Jha. This act outlines the rights of data principals (individuals whose data is being processed), the obligations of data fiduciaries (entities processing the data), penalties for non-compliance, and introduces the concept of Significant Data Fiduciaries (SDFs). Through these initiatives, FADA continues to educate the auto retail community and drive positive change in the industry.

I am excited to share a significant milestone in FADA’s journey with all of you. The registration of the Motor Vehicle & Allied Industries (MVAIA) land and building in Chennai, generously gifted to FADA, has been successfully completed. This achievement marks the culmination of six years of effort to overcome legal hurdles, and it is truly a proud moment for us all.

During a small ceremony, I had the honour of receiving the keys to the property from Mr Sharat Vijay Raghavan, President- MVAIA. Our CEO, Mr Saharsh Damani, was also present, representing the dedicated efforts of our Delhi office in bringing this dream to fruition. This was a moment of celebration and pride for every FADA member.

This property will soon become FADA’s South Zone office, further strengthening our presence in the region. Soon, we will announce the formal inauguration and look forward to welcoming all our members to visit the facility. A special thank you to Mr Bharat Chordia, Executive Committee Member-FADA, whose dedication and hard work made this milestone possible. His persistence has been key to making this vision a reality.

Friends, this year FADA’s 10-member delegation to the NADA Convention 2025 faced several challenges. A snowstorm after 60 years caused the closure of New Orleans airport, leading to flight cancellations. As a result, many delegates were unable to make it to the convention on time. I sincerely thank those who were able to attend despite these difficulties. This year's convention featured 6-7 sessions on Artificial Intelligence (AI). During the visit, we could also meet with our brother Dealers from Brazil, Italy, Australia, UK, and several other countries, strengthening our relationships with international organizations. NADA has promised to share the videos of the workshops and sessions for the benefit of delegates who could not attend. We will be sharing these videos with you soon, so you can gain valuable insights from the sessions and hopefully be inspired to join us at the NADA Convention 2026, which will be held in Las Vegas from February 3-6, 2026.

Reverting to the key initiatives undertaken by the State chapters to promote collaboration and learning among members, Chairperson FADA Delhi, Mr Ajaj Agarwal, met with two-wheeler dealers at the FADA head office to understand their concerns and work towards meaningful resolutions.

Chairperson FADA Jammu, Mr Sanjay Agarwal, represented to Mr Santosh D Vaidya (IAS), Principal Secretary - Finance, Government of J&K, to propose charging token/road tax on the basic cost of vehicles excluding GST, to curb the menace caused by unauthorized car brokers, not registered with the J&K Transport Department similar to policies in HP & Chandigarh; b) Exemption on road tax for hybrid vehicles; c) One State, One Trade Certificate; d) Registration of pre-owned vehicles at the dealer point; e) Elimination of GST on Road Tax; and f) Introduction of faceless registration for new fully built commercial vehicles at the dealer point. Mr Sanjay Agarwal also met with Mr Vishesh Paul Mahajan, Transport Commissioner, J&K, to find solutions for challenges faced by the auto retail community. The meeting was attended by Mr Vinay Samotra, Joint Transport Commissioner, and Mr Pankaj Basotra, RTO Jammu.

Chairperson FADA Jharkhand, Mr Govind Mewar, along with Mr Hemant Jain and Mr Punit Poddar, met with Transport Secretary Mr Sri Kripa Nand Jha. The meeting was very fruitful, with Mr Jha assuring the members that the CMVR rules would be fully implemented in the state in the near future.

FADA Odisha Chapter organized a trip to Raipur for its members to meet FADA Chhattisgarh members and gain valuable insights into the Grand Auto Expo, organized in association with the Raipur Automobile Dealers Association (RADA). The trip provided an opportunity to understand the 50% road tax exemption offered by the state government to customers purchasing vehicles from the expo grounds, aimed at boosting vehicle sales and registrations. Members also explored new trends, business prospects, and engaged in networking, while sharing best practices. This visit fostered team bonding and strengthened collaboration among FADA members.

FADA West Bengal Chapter under the leadership of Mr. Rohit Chowdhary, in collaboration with the Transport Department, organized a Rally for Road Safety, which was flagged off by Honourable Transport Minister Mr Snehasis Chakraborty, to promote adherence to traffic rules and ensure safer roads. The chapter is also organising its second Vyapar event at JW Marriott Kolkata on 11th March’25. Dealers can register for the same and gain valuable insights during this event.

Let’s continue to move forward together, building a stronger, more connected, and future-ready association. As always, I seek your support and guidance and you can write to me at [email protected]

Warm Regards,

CS Vigneshwar
President - FADA