The Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC) hosted its Annual Partners Forum 2025 under the theme “Stronger Together, Transform Tomorrow”, convening over 250 stakeholders from government, academia, and industry to chart a collaborative path for India’s auto sector.
Dr. Hanif Qureshi, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, underscored the sector’s $240 billion economic contribution and emphasized the government’s focus on net-zero goals by 2070, bolstered by the ₹26,000 crore PLI scheme for electric and hydrogen mobility. Noting progress with over 12 companies surpassing 50% localization, Dr. Qureshi stressed the urgent need for workforce upskilling in next-gen technologies to increase India’s share in the global $700 billion auto components market.
Prof. T.G. Sitharam, Chairman, AICTE, referred to the current era as India’s “Amrit Kaal”, encouraging deeper participation in robotics and tech-led skilling. He lauded ASDC’s contributions to making India a global automotive leader.
Dr. Suhas Deshmukh from NCVET highlighted the NEP 2020’s role in integrating skilling with education, aiming to make students job-ready and future-proof through hands-on and interdisciplinary learning.
F. R. Singhvi, President of ASDC, emphasized aligning technical skills with human values and soft skills to build globally competitive professionals.
Dr. Rodney Riviere, GIZ India, echoed this synergy, stating that AI would augment—not replace—human workers, making training and services smarter and more personalized.
Key moments included:
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Recognition of CSR partners
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Project Saksham’s convocation for female candidates
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Signing of MoUs with HCL Foundation, Hero MotoCorp, Lucas Indian Services Ltd, and Victora Foundation
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Two panels: “Classroom to Career” and “Sustainable Skilling via CSR”
With support from sponsors including George Telegraph, ISIE India, and Ascensive Educare, the event concluded with a strong consensus on shaping India into a global hub for skilled automotive talent, driven by sustainability, innovation, and collaboration.
