Dear Friends,

As I look back on the past two years, I do so with a deep sense of gratitude, pride and humility.

When I assumed the responsibility of serving as the 37th President of FADA, I spoke of two qualities that would define our journey—Passion and Intent. Passion for our businesses, our fraternity and our industry; and the intent to translate that passion into purposeful, strategic and meaningful action. I also placed two commitments before you: a Retail Trade Protection Act, and a Model Dealer Agreement.

As I complete my tenure, I look back on a journey shaped by advocacy, institution-building, leadership development, collaboration and social responsibility—undertaken on behalf of over 15,000 dealerships operating more than 30,000 outlets and employing close to 50 lakh people, in a market that now retails upwards of three crore vehicles a year. Our objective was clear—to strengthen the Voice of Dealers, make FADA more responsive to its members and position the Federation as a credible partner in India’s growth story.

Strengthening the Voice of Dealers

Advocacy has remained at the heart of FADA’s work. Over the past two years, we have consistently engaged with Governments, regulators, OEMs and financial institutions on issues affecting dealership viability—from vehicle registration and CMVR implementation to EV policies, financing, taxation, customer protection, unauthorised Multi-Brand Outlets and the demand for a Retail Trade Protection Act. Our advocacy has become increasingly structured, data-backed and solution-oriented, as reflected in our representation to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways on Draft Notification G.S.R. 649(E) concerning the sale and registration of pre-owned vehicles.

On the Model Dealer Agreement, our persistence has begun to bear fruit, with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India becoming the second manufacturer (after JSW MG Motors) to adopt the agreement drafted by FADA. I urge every dealer to keep this conversation alive with their principals, for fairness in the OEM–dealer contract is foundational to everything else we seek.

GST 2.0 was a welcome reform for affordability and demand. However, the nil-rating of Compensation Cess from 22 September 2025, without any transitional or refund mechanism for accumulated Cess Input Tax Credit, placed severe working-capital stress on dealerships. FADA made representations to the Hon’ble Prime Minister, the Hon’ble Finance Minister, the PMO, the concerned Union Ministries and the Group of Ministers of the GST Council. When these did not bring relief, we approached the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India by way of a writ petition challenging the legality and constitutional validity of Notification No. 9/2025–Compensation Cess (Rate) dated 17 September 2025. The Court allowed our petition and issued notice to the Union of India and the GST Council. The matter remains pending, and members will be kept informed.

That we were willing to seek judicial remedy where representation reached its limit has been, I believe, an important institutional development. FADA also moved the Hon’ble Calcutta High Court on unauthorised Multi-Brand Outlets, securing a direction to the Government of West Bengal to enforce the statutory provisions, and approached the Madras and Jharkhand High Courts on uniform implementation of the amended Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. The launch of our Two-Wheeler Vertical has given a large, long-underserved constituency a dedicated platform within the Federation.

At the same time, the Dealership for Good initiative has reinforced our belief that a dealership’s role extends beyond business to the communities it serves. FADA’s Road Safety Initiative reflects the same commitment, with our extensive network well placed to promote safer and more informed mobility.

FADA: A Trusted Institutional Voice

One of the most satisfying aspects of these two years has been the growing institutional credibility of FADA. Our Monthly Vehicle Retail Data, generated through the dealer network and compiled in collaboration with VAHAN data, has become an important barometer of India’s automobile market. That it was cited as a primary source in the Government’s Economic Survey 2024–25, and is regularly referenced by MoRTH, the PMO and other Ministries including Reserve Bank of India, is recognition not of our research capability alone, but of the strength of the collective data generated by India’s auto retail industry.

Equally humbling is that we are now being asked to help build the very systems we work with. The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways, through the National Informatics Centre, invited FADA to contribute industry feedback and recommendations for the proposed revamp of the eVahan platform, and our data-backed inputs were acknowledged by the Hon’ble Minister for Commerce & Industry in the context of the India–EU Free Trade Agreement.

Our inclusion, through our CEO Mr Saharsh Damani, in the Government of India’s Quick Response Team, our engagement with the Hon’ble Governor of the Reserve Bank of India on dealer financing, and our participation in the RBI’s pre-Monetary Policy Committee consultation reaffirm that FADA’s perspective is increasingly sought, trusted and valued.

Building Future-Ready Leadership

The future of automobile retail will ultimately be shaped by its people. FADA Academy, under Mr Manish Raj Singhania, Chairman, FADA Academy & Research, has built partnerships with leading institutions—IIT Delhi, NMIMS Mumbai and IIM Udaipur among them—creating meaningful opportunities for dealership leaders to learn and adapt. A significant milestone was the inaugural Global Leadership Programme at Imperial College Business School, London, which brought together 18 automotive retail leaders for an immersive five-day programme; they are now Founding Members of the FADA Academy Global Leadership Club. The journey continues with the 4th Edition of the Executive Leadership Programme with NMIMS Mumbai for GenX leaders in August 2026.

Equally important has been skilling at scale. The Memorandum of Cooperation between the Government of Rajasthan, ASDC and FADA envisages Automotive Centres of Excellence and industry-relevant training, with an indicative target of skilling 10,000 youth annually. Through Project Saksham, with ASDC and Hero MotoCorp, we have taken job fairs for certified, job-ready women professionals to several States. Leadership development and skilling cannot be one-time initiatives; they must become an institutional culture.

Empowering GenX and Women in FADA

Through GenX and Women in FADA (WiF), we have created platforms for younger leaders and women entrepreneurs to learn, network and contribute to the future of our industry. My sincere gratitude to Mr Rishabh Sanghi, Chairman, FADA GenX, and Ms Rashmi Kale, Chairperson, WiF, for building a future leadership that is prepared, diverse and confident.

Taking FADA Closer to Dealers

FADA’s strength ultimately lies with its members and State Chapters. A significant milestone was the opening of FADA’s Southern Office in Chennai—made possible by the gracious gift of the Motor Vehicles & Allied Industries Association and six years of patient effort—enabling closer engagement across the five southern States.

Just as important has been taking our flagship platform to the States. Six editions of Vyapar were held during my tenure—in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Gujarat, Rajasthan and Delhi, the 18th to the 23rd editions—welcoming Chief Ministers, State Ministers and senior officials onto our platform, and bringing dealers, OEMs, financiers and policymakers under one roof. Vyapar has strengthened FADA from the base of the pyramid upwards, and I thank every State Chairperson and Regional Director who made it possible.

Strengthening Industry and Global Partnerships

A sustainable ecosystem cannot be built by dealers alone. Our engagement with OEMs, banks, insurers and financiers—including State Bank of India and IndusInd Insurance—has remained central to our agenda. The Dealer Satisfaction Study and the Dealership Excellence Awards have grown into credible instruments of this dialogue, the latter drawing over 800 entries this year across 28 categories, including, for the first time, Tractors and Construction Equipment.

Internationally, our annual delegation to NADA has enabled valuable exchange of global best practices, while the FADA Journal is regularly shared with dealer associations abroad, showcasing India’s evolving auto retail sector. I am also pleased to represent FADA at the 34th Congress & Expo Fenabrave in São Paulo, Brazil, in August 2026.

Preparing for a Changing Industry

Electrification, alternative fuels, digitalisation, artificial intelligence and changing customer expectations are reshaping our businesses. FADA has sought to help dealers and customers navigate this through credible information—our nationwide awareness effort on E20 fuel, anchored in verified guidance from the Ministries, oil marketing companies and manufacturers, being one example. The dealership of tomorrow must be technology-enabled, customer-centric and adaptable, and preparing our people for that change will remain one of our most important responsibilities.

One More Important Milestone Together

I have one request to my dealer friends: please join us at the 62nd Annual General Meeting of FADA and the 8th Auto Retail Conclave, on 1st September 2026 in New Delhi, themed “Bharat in the Driver’s Seat: Inclusive Mobility, Inspired Growth”. As India accelerates its growth journey, automobile retail has an important role to play in enabling inclusive mobility and responsible growth. I also urge every dealer to participate in the Dealer Satisfaction Study 2026 for OEMs, whose awards will be presented that same evening—the greater the participation, the stronger our collective voice.

The Journey Belongs to All of Us

No President can claim individual ownership of a journey such as this. What we have achieved has been possible because of the collective commitment of the Governing Council, Managing Committee, State Chapters, members, past presidents and the Secretariat.

My sincere thanks to my colleagues on the Managing Committee—Mr Sai Giridhar, Mr Amar Sheth and Mr Pradeep Agarwal—for their support and counsel, and to Mr Saharsh Damani, CEO, FADA, and the entire Secretariat for turning our intent into action. I wish Mr Sai Giridhar every success as he takes forward the responsibility of leading FADA. Above all, I thank every member of the FADA family. Your trust and unity have been our greatest strength.

Looking Ahead

As the tenure of this team comes to a close, I am privileged to continue my association with FADA as Chairman, FADA Academy & Research. My focus there will be on what our industry needs most—continuous training for dealers and their teams, from the dealer principal to the frontline, and the rollout of skilling centres in partnership with ASDC, so that every dealership has access to an industry-ready pool of manpower. Our wider priorities remain clear: stronger OEM–dealer relationships, a fair regulatory environment, investment in people, responsible technology, road safety and future-ready dealerships.

When I began this journey, I spoke of Passion and Intent. Today, I am even more convinced that Passion and Intent, strengthened by Unity and Collective Action, can create meaningful change.

Friends, allow me one last thought—one that has stayed with me through these two years. In an industry built on wheels, a President is only a spoke. A spoke is fitted, it carries the load for a while, and in time it is replaced. Thirty-six came before me. Many more will follow. Not one of us is the wheel.

FADA is the wheel. It was turning in 1964, long before any of us arrived, and it will keep turning long after we have stepped aside. Our task is only to bear our share of the load honestly for the short distance entrusted to us, and to hand the wheel on truer and stronger than we found it. If I have managed that even in small measure, it is because thousands of you were pushing alongside me—in State Chapters and Council rooms, in RTO corridors and courtrooms, and in showrooms and workshops across this country, day after day, without any expectation of credit.

So this is not a farewell. Presidents come and go. Terms begin and end. The FADA movement continues—and with it, the India Growth Story we help carry forward, one customer, one dealership, one honest day’s work at a time.

Thank you for letting me hold the wheel’s steering for a while. The road ahead belongs to all of us.

The journey continues…

With warm regards,

C S Vigneshwar
President, FADA