Zee Media hosted the Auto Summit 2025 driven by DNAIndia.com in New Delhi, bringing together senior policymakers, global automotive leaders, mobility innovators and creators to examine India’s rapidly evolving transportation landscape.

Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari attended the event as the Chief Guest, setting the tone for conversations around cleaner energy adoption, the luxury car boom and the need for significantly safer road infrastructure.

The summit offered a comprehensive look at the opportunities and challenges emerging as India pushes toward a more sustainable, efficient and future-ready mobility ecosystem.

According to a Zee Media press release, the evening began with an engaging panel titled “Drive Like a Woman”, anchored by Chayan Rastogi. Well-known women creators Supriya Nagpal, Brinda Sharma, Mia Lakra, Tarini Mukherjee and Nupur Kalra discussed the biases women continue to face on Indian roads and the persistent stereotypes surrounding their understanding of automotive technology.

The speakers reflected on how increasingly informed and confident women drivers are altering consumer expectations and encouraging auto brands to rethink design and communication strategies. The conversation set the stage for wider discussions on inclusivity and shifting consumer behaviour in the mobility sector.

A fireside chat on “India’s Luxury Car Boom”, moderated by WION show producer Meraj Shah and featuring BMW Group India President & CEO Hardeep S. Brar, explored the segment’s accelerating growth. Brar pointed to rising urbanisation, the aspirations of millennials and Gen Z, and the expanding popularity of leasing and subscription models as key drivers of demand.

He noted that luxury car sales continue to outpace mass-market growth by more than 10 percent, driven by performance, emotional value and elevated driving experiences. The summit also hosted a critical Road Safety Panel, led by Techlusive Editor Dinesh Sharma with industry leaders Vikram Kasbekar of Hero MotoCorp, Jyoti Malhotra of Volvo Car India and Vikram Gulati of Toyota Kirloskar Motor, who addressed India’s mounting road accident challenge. They emphasised the importance of technology-led safety solutions, improved road engineering, tighter enforcement of traffic rules and building a culture of responsible driving.

The highlight of the evening was a fireside conversation with Shri Nitin Gadkari, moderated by Shobhna Yadav of Zee News. Gadkari spoke extensively about India’s push to build cleaner, more efficient transport systems, highlighting major highway expansions such as the Dehradun–Delhi corridor and the Kanpur–Lucknow expressway.

He underscored the government’s focus on reducing logistics costs from nearly 16 percent to single-digit levels, strengthening EV infrastructure and easing congestion across key urban corridors including Pune, Chennai and Bengaluru–Chennai. Reiterating the broader vision, he said, “India’s goal is clear, to become the world’s No. 1 economy, powered by efficient, clean, and safe transportation.” The summit culminated with the Zee Auto Awards 2025, recognising standout achievements across the automotive sector.

The event was streamed across Zee Media’s digital platforms including Zee News, Zee Business, WION, DNAIndia.com, India.com and Techlusive, ensuring nationwide access and real-time engagement.