Commercial vehicle manufacturer Ashok Leyland has urged the Centre and industry bodies to provide long-term direction or a policy guideline to help the auto sector, said its chairman Dheeraj G. Hinduja.
“It is important that the government and the industry bodies provide long-term direction or a policy guideline to the auto sector that include policy pronouncements such as vehicle scrappage, cab code or bus body code,” Mr. Hinduja said in a message to shareholders.
“This would provide the impetus to the Indian commercial vehicle sector to transit to the global premier league and also help optimise resources,” he added.
With regard to the commercial vehicle industry, he said: “In the short-to-medium term, we anticipate continuance of investment in infrastructure, revival of defence mobility spending and the much needed relief to the liquidity challenges of NBFCs.”
Regarding the company’s preparedness for the BS-VI, he said it was a steep challenge for both original equipment manufacturers and the ancillary sector to transform from BS-IV to BS-VI norms in just three years. “Our status of readiness is next to none in emission conformance and fuel performance.”
On the firm’s EV strategy, he said that the strategy and roll-out plans were in place. A competent team had been put in place to pursue this thrust area vigorously. Besides, ALL was also taking steps to ensure that it stayed ahead of others in the new digital age.
ALL, meanwhile, has chalked out a vision to be among the top 10 global players in commercial vehicles. “This is is a giant leap from where we are, but I have no doubt that we will be in that position soon,” he said.
Mr. Hinduja said that they were building a suite of products on a new platform that would be launched from April 2020. Besides, the firm would be rolling out modular vehicle programme that enhances flexibility to meet customer needs in a cost-efficient way.
