Volvo Car India has announced significant price cuts on its internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, effective September 22, 2025, following the recent GST reforms. The Swedish luxury carmaker is passing the benefits directly to customers, with reductions reaching up to Rs 6.9 lakh. For instance, the Volvo XC60 (MY26) Refreshed drops from Rs 71.9 lakh to Rs 67.1 lakh, while the XC90 (MY26) sees a reduction from Rs 1.04 crore to Rs 96.97 lakh. Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs) remain at current prices, but festive offers under the “Double Festive Delight” scheme also include these models.
Jyoti Malhotra, Managing Director of Volvo Car India, stated that the aim is to make luxury mobility more accessible while reinforcing confidence in India’s niche automotive segment. Since establishing its presence in 2007, Volvo operates 25 dealerships across India, selling vehicles in over 100 countries globally.
Meanwhile, industry experts are emphasizing the critical role of the auto sector in India’s long-term economic ambitions. CV Raman, former CTO of Maruti Suzuki, highlighted that India’s $30 trillion GDP goal by 2047 heavily depends on automotive growth and workforce readiness. He noted that while the automotive sector contributes 7% of GDP and 50% of manufacturing output, a significant skills gap exists.
Raman explained that only 40% of engineers in India have completed internships, and just 3% possess future-ready skills. The growing adoption of AI, autonomous systems, electric mobility, and digital technologies demands structural changes in education and training. He stressed the importance of breaking technology silos and integrating disciplines like AI, software, materials, and communication technologies into the automotive curriculum.
Maruti Suzuki has pioneered some solutions by training 10,000 students annually across ITIs and technical institutes. Initiatives like the International Automotive Center of Excellence in Gujarat aim to equip students with practical industry-ready skills.
Raman concluded that bridging the skill gap requires collaboration among academia, startups, and industry while embracing technological disruption. “The only way to discover the limits of possibility is to go beyond them into the impossible,” he said, underlining the need for urgent action to prepare India’s workforce for the next-generation automotive revolution.
