The commerce ministry has offered New Delhi’s Bharat Mandapam venue at concessional rates to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to encourage wide participation in the expo’s debut edition on 1-3 February, the people said on condition of anonymity. About 27 domestic and international OEMs have confirmed their participation.

An email sent to a commerce ministry spokesperson remained unanswered till press time.

There is also a strong likelihood that the Auto Expo, which is held once every two years, might be merged into the wider umbrella of the Mobility Show, the people cited above added.

Synergies with the Auto Expo, including a possible merger, are being explored by the government and industry bodies like the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) and the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA). The logic is that the Bharat Mobility expo brings together many more stakeholders of the automotive supply chain, from OEMs and suppliers to battery manufacturers, steel and tyre makers, e-bus service providers and participants in the circular economy.

ACMA’s after-market expo, Automechanika, has been merged with the Bharat Mobility Global Expo this year. “This show will be an ecosystem orchestra, and several participants of Automechanika have also taken up additional space in the show,” Vinnie Mehta, director general, ACMA, said. “There’s going to be a lot of international footfalls at the show as it brings together multiple aspects of the automotive value chain under one roof, including technology players.”

The government intends to make the Bharat Mobility show a multi-venue exhibit, styled along the lines of German auto shows in Frankfurt and Munich, the people cited above added. While the industry is yet to finalize plans for further shows, it is expected that the event may tap into venues like the Yashobhoomi convention centre (India International Convention & Expo Centre) in Dwarka.

At an event to release the Mobility Expo’s logo earlier this month, Union commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal underlined the significance of such mega-exhibitions, noting their international scale and ambition. The exhibitions aim to present India’s strengths to the global market and position the country as an international player across industries, Goyal said.

In the coming years, the show may also be planned as a ‘travelling exhibition’, held in major metros outside Delhi, for instance, in Chennai or Mumbai.

The Society of Manufacturers Electric Vehicles (SMEV), and the National Association of Software and Service Companies (Nasscom) will also take part in the event.

“This show stands out for its inclusive approach, involving EEPC (Engineering Exports Promotion Council) for global reach, SIAM and ACMA for industry representation. Unlike typical auto expos, it goes beyond showcasing cars, including components and exploring battery tech with the India Energy Storage Alliance (IESA). The focus is on holistic mobility, involving startups in the EV sector,” one of the people cited above said.

However, unlike the Auto Expo where OEMs take up large spaces to display new vehicles, this time the exhibits are smaller, and focused more on technology and new innovations than on new vehicles, one of the people cited above said.

The Bharat Mobility Global Expo will be spread over 100,000 sq. m, slightly larger than the venue of the Auto Expo at the India Expo Mart in Greater Noida. The Mobility Expo is expected to draw over 80,000 visitors, and participants from more than 50 countries.

According to the people cited above, Prime Minister Narendra Modi may be expected to visit the expo, but there is no confirmation of him inaugurating it as the show kicks off on the same day as the vote-on-account for the FY25 budget in Parliament.

All leading OEMs, including those who gave the Auto Expo a pass in 2023, are putting up exhibits at the Bharat Mobility Expo, including passenger vehicle OEMs Hyundai, Mahindra & Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors, Honda Cars, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, MG Motor India and Kia India, as well as German luxury and premium carmakers Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Skoda Auto Volkswagen India.

The show will also draw prominent two-wheeler makers Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor and Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India, and pure EV makers Ather Energy, Ola Electric, Tork Motors, ⁠Eka Mobility and VinFast.

Vietnam’s VinFast is pegged to be a big draw at the Mobility Expo, even as it lines up large-scale investments in the country in setting up a manufacturing facility in Tamil Nadu, establishing a dealership network, and setting up product and sales teams in the country.

The electric mobility company, part of Vietnam’s largest conglomerate, is looking to participate not just in the country’s electric car market, but also its 20-million-unit market for two-wheelers with its range of electric scooters, a source aware of the developments said.

Mint was the first to report on 16 November that multiple industry bodies like EEPC, SIAM and ACMA will bring out the Bharat Mobility Expo at the Pragati Maidan fair grounds between 1 and 3 February.