The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), representing India’s top automobile makers, hosted the 3rd International Conference on Sustainable Circularity (ICSC) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, during the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. The conference focused on the theme ‘Nature Positive Recycling – Systemic Transformation to Automotive Circular Economy in India’.
The conference was graced by the Chief Guest, Shri Bhupender Yadav, Hon’ble Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Prashant K. Banerjee, Executive Director of SIAM, said, “The rising India is ready to embrace and propagate the message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam with regards to balancing environmental industrial growth and national progress.” His statement reflects auto industry’s commitment towards integrating global family values with environmental and industrial advancements in alignment to the vision of the Government of India.
The highlight of the conference was the keynote address by the Hon’ble Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Shri Bhupender Yadav. He greeted the audience with a hearty good morning and immediately delved into the remarkable growth of India’s automotive industry, which expanded by 12% last year, achieving a milestone of 2.5 crore car sales.
The Hon’ble Minister emphasized, “However, the hallmark of our achievements lies not merely in these numbers but in our commitment to dedicating resources to enhance circularity at a time when the industry is thriving.” He highlighted the pertinence of this year’s conference theme, “Nature Positive Recycling,” as a testament to the industry’s resolve to not only foster economic growth but also safeguard environmental sanctuaries.
The Hon’ble Minister further reflected on the efficiency of natural recycling systems and how the automotive sector could learn from these. “From a fallen fruit that enriches its ecosystem leaving no trace of waste, nature’s proficiency in recycling is unmatched,” he noted. Advocating for zero-waste principles, he stressed the importance of emulating these natural processes to reduce the ecological footprint and enhance economic viability and operational sustainability.
Turning the focus towards regulatory frameworks and government initiatives, the Hon’ble Minister outlined significant policies such as the Vehicle Scrappage Policy introduced in 2021, which mandates fitness tests for continued registration of passenger cars and commercial vehicles, significantly curtailing emissions. He also highlighted the forthcoming End-of-Life Vehicles (ELVs) Rules, effective April 1, 2025, which will enforce environmentally responsible scrapping of vehicles through Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), incentivizing proper disposal practices.
The Minister underscored the role of electric vehicles (EVs) in transforming the automotive industry towards sustainability, supported by the FAME policy and Production-Linked Incentive schemes. “The transition to electric vehicles is poised to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and integrate renewable energy sources into our power grid,” he added.
The Union Minister called on SIAM and the automotive industry to lead the transition to a circular economy by incorporating recyclable designs, promoting sustainability in dealership operations, and enhancing consumer awareness. Shri Yadav concluded by underscoring the dual responsibility of the automotive industry to drive economic growth while ensuring environmental sustainability. He also encouraged participation in initiatives like the ‘Ek Ped Ma Ke Naam’ campaign, underlining the importance of afforestation in combating air pollution.
On this occasion, Hon’ble Union Minister has also launched the SIAM Strategy Paper “Towards Circular Future in the Indian Automobile Industry: Integrating EPR Regime in Waste Stream Regulations”.
The conference concluded with remarks from Mr. Vikram Kasbekar, Executive Director and CTO of Hero MotoCorp, who reiterated the company’s commitment to sustainability. “Our commitment at Hero Moto Corp is to lead the change towards a sustainable future. By focusing on innovative recycling technologies and sustainable manufacturing processes, we aim to set a benchmark for the industry.”, he stated.
The conference ended with a unified call to action for all stakeholders in the automotive industry to embrace recyclable designs, promote sustainability in dealership operations, and enhance consumer awareness, paving the way for a sustainable and economically robust future for India.
 hosted the 3rd International Conference on Sustainable Circularity (ICSC) at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, during the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. The conference, themed "Nature Positive Recycling – Systemic Transformation to Automotive Circular Economy in India," featured Shri Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, as the Chief Guest, who delivered the keynote address.){kind=link}