FADA Academy & IIT Delhi launch Advanced Certificate Program 2.0!

Dear Friends,

As we advance through an exciting 2025, I am pleased to share several key initiatives that reflect our ongoing commitment to excellence, collaboration, and innovation in the automotive retail sector.

I’m proud to announce that the FADA Dealership Excellence Awards 2025 and DSS’25 (for F&I companies) are now LIVE!

Recognized as the "Oscars" of our industry, the FADA Dealership Excellence Awards honour outstanding performance, innovation, and best practices across India’s auto retail landscape. This year, we have 47 awards across 24 categories, and I strongly encourage you to nominate your dealerships for a chance to earn national recognition in front of key industry leaders and stakeholders.

Alongside this, we are also launching the 2nd edition of DSS’25 for Finance & Insurance companies, a landmark initiative aimed at understanding dealer expectations from F&I partners. Conducted in collaboration with our knowledge partners, PremonAsia, this study will capture candid insights from dealers across all segments—2-wheelers, 3-wheelers, 4-wheelers, and commercial vehicles. The feedback will play a crucial role in shaping future strategies, influencing policy discussions, and enhancing the overall F&I experience. Your participation is invaluable in making this a truly dealer-driven initiative—By the Dealers, For the Dealers, and From the Dealers. Please be assured that all responses will be treated with strict confidentiality.

Both the awards—for Dealership Excellence and DSS’25(F&I companies)—will be presented at a gala event in Mumbai during the 4th Finance & Insurance Summit, scheduled for June 2025 in Mumbai. We look forward to celebrating your achievements and driving meaningful change together. Details of the exact date and venue will be shared shortly.

Another major milestone this month has been the launch of the Advanced Certificate Program 2.0, a collaborative initiative between FADA Academy and IIT Delhi. The inauguration saw the presence of Prof Manav Bhatnagar, Prof B K Panigrahi, Mr Manish Raj Singhania, Chairman, FADA Academy & Research, Ms Garima Misra, Executive Committee Member, Mr Saharsh Damani, CEO, FADA and Mr Vikas Raj, Dean, FADA Academy.

This exclusive 7-day, on-campus program at IIT Delhi has been tailored specifically for FADA members. The curriculum focuses on key areas such as Electric Vehicles (EVs), digital retail, finance, sustainability, and transformative leadership. Beyond learning, it offers a dynamic platform for networking and peer engagement—strengthening our collective capabilities to lead the future of automotive retail in India.

During the month, I, along with our CEO, Mr Saharsh Damani, had the opportunity to meet Mrs Sukhwinder Kaur, CGM Retail, State Bank of India, to discuss improving dealer-bank synergy and streamlining auto retail financing processes. Apart from this, we also met ICICI Bank’s Mr. Samit Upadhyay, Head - Retail Assets Consumer Experience & Digitisation, Vehicles & Education Loans and had discussions on similar lines.

On the OEM side, we engaged senior leadership at five OEM Brands to strengthen our collaboration and align on shared objectives:

• Suzuki Motorcycle India: We met with Managing Director Mr. Kenichi Umeda and his leadership team to showcase FADA’s strategic initiatives in automotive retail. Mr. Umeda expressed strong enthusiasm for deeper coordination between FADA and its dealer network, and committed to joint action plans to optimize market performance.
• Hero MotoCorp: In discussion with CEO Mr. Vikram Kasbekar and his executive team, we reinforced FADA’s role as the voice of India’s retail channel and explored avenues for co-developing best-in-class dealer support programs.
• Ducati India: Met their MD Mr. Bipul Chandra and discussed ways of collaboration keeping our GenX vertical in mind.
• MG Motor India: We briefed Mr. Rakesh Sen, Director – Sales Operations, on FADA’s current advocacy, training, and data-transparency projects, with a focus on elevating passenger-vehicle retail standards.
• Kia India: Our concluding meeting of the month with Mr. Hardeep Brar, Senior Vice President & Head of Marketing & Sales, centered on collaborative marketing-to-sales conversion strategies and real-time inventory management.

These discussions were focused on strengthening relationships, addressing current challenges, and laying the groundwork for a more sustainable and profitable future for our dealerships thus helping India’s automotive retail ecosystem agile, efficient, and growth-oriented.

I also had the privilege to deliver the keynote address at the HPCL Presents Times Drive Auto Summit & Awards 2025, where I spoke about the evolving role of dealerships in India’s shift toward future mobility. Along with me, our CEO Mr. Saharsh Damani was part of a panel discussion “Consumer Clarity in a Changing Two-Wheeler Market: How Can Brands Build Trust?”

On behalf of FADA, I, along with Secretary Mr Amar Jatin Sheth, Past Presidents Mr Vinkesh Gulati, Mr Ashish Harsharaj Kale and CEO Mr Saharsh Damani, felicitated Mr Hormazd Sorabjee, Editor of Autocar, on their 25th anniversary in Mumbai. It was a proud moment to honour their invaluable contribution to the auto industry.

Our recent FADA Knowledge Series Webinar - Digital Personal Data Protection Act (DPDP Act) provided valuable insights to help dealers stay compliant with the latest data privacy norms. More than 100 dealer principals from across the country participated & gained from the insightful session.

Under the leadership of Chairperson, Mr Sanjay Aggarwal, FADA Jammu made tremendous progress. A meeting with Mr Amitava Chatterjee, MD & CEO of J&K Bank, led to a landmark agreement—the bank will immediately cease all direct or indirect incentives to sales executives. Going forward, all finance payouts will be made directly to dealerships based on monthly invoices, thereby promoting a transparent and structured B2B framework.

FADA Jammu also met with Mr Vishesh Paul Mahajan, Transport Commissioner, to express gratitude for resolving unauthorized vehicle sales and exempting physical inspections for new commercial vehicles. A formal government order was subsequently issued—streamlining operations for dealerships in the region.

Thanks to the persistent efforts of FADA Madhya Pradesh -State Chairperson - Mr Ashish Pandey, the state has implemented MoRTH Notification GSR 525(E), exempting Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) from road tax. Moreover, dealers in MP are now allowed to operate test ride vehicles on trade plates by acquiring a low-cost, separate trade certificate - reducing operational burdens and improving the customer experience.

Following consistent follow-ups by FADA Tamil Nadu under Chairperson Mr Rajavel and the favourable Madras High Court directive, the Transport Commissioner of Pondicherry has removed the need for physical inspection of fully built-up vehicles. Dealer Point Registration has also been implemented—facilitating smoother business operations.

Led by Chairperson Mr Rohit Chowdhury, the FADA West Bengal chapter has been proactive in strengthening regional outreach. In collaboration with Sanmarg, a prominent media house, FADA successfully hosted an Auto Expo on 22nd–23rd March 2025. The event was well-received and enhanced our public engagement significantly.

As we brace for a lean FY 2025–26, disciplined cost management will be paramount. By tightening expense controls, scrutinizing every line item, and optimizing working capital, our dealer network must not only protect profitability but also build the resilience needed to surge ahead when market momentum returns.

Thank you for your continued support and dedication.

Yours sincerely

C S Vigneshwar
President FADA