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Jaguar Land Rover Plans To Roll Out 8 Battery EVs In India By 2030

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Jaguar Land Rover Plans To Roll Out 8 Battery EVs In India By 2030

The company currently sells one electric model — Jaguar I-Pace — in the country.

New Delhi:

Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) aims to launch eight battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in India by 2030, according to a senior company executive.

The company currently sells one electric model — Jaguar I-Pace — in the country.

In an interaction with PTI, JLR Chief Commercial Officer Lennard Hoornik said the automaker will commence taking orders for the Range Rover BEV for the Indian market next year with deliveries expected to begin in 2025.

“We are planning to introduce at least 8 BEVs by the end of the decade in India,” he noted.

The British automaker, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tata Motors since 2008, aims to become a net-zero carbon business globally by 2039.

Terming the Indian market a “big strategic priority” for the automaker, Hoornik noted that the country is in the right direction when it comes to transitioning into electric mobility.

He said subsidy push in the initial phase, setting up the right amount of charging infrastructure and having a great product (EV) were some of the essentials which would encourage the adoption of electric cars in the country.

Hoornik noted that governments around the world were trying to give electric cars a bit of a kickstart by offering subsidies.

“I think to kickstart that sort of transformation (to electric cars) I think it (subsidy) is very important,” he noted when asked if subsidies could also help in the growth of EV sales in India.

Hoornik said affordability is one critical factor in encouraging the adoption of electric cars.

“..Batteries are not cheap…So if there is anything that we can do to accelerate..once you get over a certain percentage (sales of EVs) it seems to just go right..beginning I think is quite important,” he stated.

Elaborating on the company’s overall roadmap in the country, Hoornik said the company aims to expand the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, and Defender brands which were strong in the Indian market.

“We are now getting a number of new product releases within those families. There will be some special editions, but also we are slowly moving towards electrification,” he noted.

The automaker plans to have individual growth strategies for its four brands — Jaguar, Range Rover, Discovery and Defender, Hoornik said.

Each of those brands should have their own growth strategy, retail landscape and their own audience, he noted.

“In a country that is so big, with so much diversity, I think there’s a role for each of the brands to play,” Hoornik said.

He noted that in April-June period of this fiscal, the company’s sales in India grew over 100 per cent and the automaker expected to keep the momentum going in the rest of the fiscal.

“It is also important that we grow our order bank… it grew about 50-plus per cent within the same timeframe (first quarter)…it is very clear that it is looking bright (future) for us here,” Hoornik said.

He noted that JLR being a part of the Tata Group is a very positive factor due to the trust equation which the general population has with the diversified conglomerate.

Hoornik noted that JLR has a very positive outlook on the growth of the overall luxury car market in India.

High GDP growth rate, young population and rapid development of road infrastructure were some of the factors which bode well for the growth of the industry going ahead, he noted.

“The positivity in the energy of India will carry it through,” Hoornik said.

Earlier this year, Tata Group announced an investment of 4 billion pounds to set up a flagship factory to make batteries for Jaguar Land Rover as well as other manufacturers.

The group chose Bridgwater in Somerset in southwest England for the gigafactory over a rival location in Spain.

The gigafactory, at 40GWh, will be one of the largest in Europe and Tata’s first outside of India.

It will supply JLR’s future battery-electric models, including the Range Rover, Defender, Discovery and Jaguar brands, with the potential to also supply other car manufacturers.

Production at the new gigafactory is due to start in 2026. PTI MSS SHW ANU ANU

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Business

FPIs turn net sellers after 6 months of investment; withdraw Rs 14,767 cr in Sep-Telangana Today

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FPIs have turned net sellers and pulled out of over Rs 14,767 crore from Indian equities in September, primarily due to dollar appreciation

Published Date – 12:10 PM, Sun – 1 October 23


FPIs turn net sellers after 6 months of investment; withdraw Rs 14,767 cr in Sep



New Delhi: After sustained buying in the last six months, FPIs have turned net sellers and pulled out of over Rs 14,767 crore from Indian equities in September, primarily due to dollar appreciation, steady rise in the US bond yields, and a spike in crude oil prices.

Going forward, the outlook for FPI flows in India is uncertain, as it will depend on the performance of the Indian economy, the RBI’s October monetary policy, and the outcome of the September quarter earnings, Mayank Mehra, smallcase, manager and principal partner at Craving Alpha, said.

According to data with the depositories, Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPIs) have sold shares to the tune of Rs 14,767 crore in September.

The latest outflow came after FPI investment in equities had hit a four-month low of Rs 12,262 crore in August. Before the outflow, FPIs were incessantly buying Indian equities in the last six months from March to August and brought in Rs 1.74 lakh crore during the period.

V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist at Geojit Financial Services, said the latest selling has been in response to steady dollar appreciation, which took the dollar index close to 107, and the steady rise in the US bond yields which took the US 10-year bond yield to around 4.7 per cent. Also, the spike in Brent crude to USD 97 weighed on FPI selling.

Additionally, FPIs have pulled out money from India due to rising US interest rates, Mehra said.

Himanshu Srivastava, Associate Director – Manager Research, Morningstar India, attributed the outflow in September to economic uncertainties in the US and Eurozone regions, as well as growing concerns about global economic growth. This scenario led foreign investors to turn risk-averse.

Additionally, higher crude prices, sticky inflation numbers and the expectation that the interest rate may continue to remain at elevated levels longer than expected would have prompted foreign investors to adopt a wait-and-watch approach, he said.

Further, sub-normal monsoon in India and its impact on inflation is also a concern for the domestic economy, which foreign investors would be cognisant of, he added.

The selling by FPIs was countered by domestic institutional investors (DII) buying.

On the other hand, FPIs invested Rs 938 crore in the country’s debt market during the period under review.

With this, the total investment by FPIs in equity has reached Rs 1.2 lakh crore and over Rs 29,000 crore in the debt market so far this year.

In terms of sectors, FPIs were buyers of capital goods and selected financials.

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Will Eliminate Menace Of Terrorism: Pak Army Chief After Twin Suicide Blasts

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Will Eliminate Menace Of Terrorism: Pak Army Chief After Twin Suicide Blasts

Pakistan’s Army chief said these terrorists have no link with religion and ideology.

Islamabad:

Pakistan’s Army chief General Syed Asim Munir has vowed to eliminate the menace of terrorism from the country through “unabated” military operations against militants following Friday’s twin suicide attacks that have killed 65 people.

A total of 60 people were killed and more than 60 others were injured in a grisly suicide blast on Friday in Balochistan that targeted a procession to celebrate Prophet Muhammad’s birthday near the Madina Masjid in Mastung, an official said.

In the second bomb attack that took place in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Hangu, targeting a police station’s mosque, five people were killed, and 12 others were injured as the mosque’s roof collapsed in the explosion’s impact, it said.

The Chief of Army Staff visited Quetta on Saturday where he was briefed on recent terrorist attacks, the Army’s media wing said in a statement on Saturday night. Munir said that the heretics who have nothing to do with Islam were carrying out such attacks with the “backing of state sponsors of terrorism”.

“These terrorists and their facilitators, having no link with religion and ideology, are proxies of the enemies of Pakistan and its people,” he said, without giving more details.

The Army chief added: “These forces of evil will continue to face the full might of the state and security forces backed by a resilient nation.” “Our operation against terrorists would continue unabated and the Armed Forces, Intelligence and Law Enforcement Agencies shall not rest till the menace of terrorism is rooted out from the country.” No group has claimed responsibility for the attack in Balochistan so far however, the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), responsible for some of the bloodiest attacks in Pakistan, denied its involvement.

Meanwhile, a think-tank report showed that Pakistan’s security forces have experienced their highest casualties in eight years, with at least 386 personnel losing their lives in the first nine months of 2023.

The Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) report also said a troubling 57 per cent surge in violence nationwide, The Express Tribune newspaper reported.

In the CRSS Security Report for the third quarter of 2023, it is highlighted that among the 1,087 violence-related fatalities recorded this year, security forces accounted for 36 per cent of the casualties, marking an eight-year high. This figure includes 137 Army personnel and 208 police personnel.

The rise in violence is particularly concentrated in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) and Balochistan

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Sports

Iranian table tennis duo wins bronze in Asian Games

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Alamian brothers lost to China’s Zhendong Fan and Chuqin Wang 4-0 (11-4, 11-3, 11-3, 11-6) in the semi-final to bag the bronze medal at the sporting event.

Iranian duo Nima and Noshad Alamian defeated their rivals from Chinese Taipei and Japan to advance to the semi-final at the 2022 Asian Games.

More than 12,000 athletes from all 45 members of the Olympic Council of Asia are participating in the 19th Asian Games being held in Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China from 23 September to 8 October. A total of 481 events are competing in the event.

AMK/IRN85244052

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PM Modi Mourns Tamil Nadu Bus Accident Victims, Announces Rs 2 Lakh Aid

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PM Modi Mourns Tamil Nadu Bus Accident Victims, Announces Rs 2 Lakh Aid For Families

A Tenkasi-bound tourist bus fell into a gorge and toppled

Chennai:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday expressed anguish over the Nilgiris bus accident in Tamil Nadu on September 30 that left 9 persons dead.

The PM also announced an aid of Rs 2 lakh each to the kin of the victims.

“Pained by the loss of lives due to a bus accident near Coonoor in Nilgiris district, Tamil Nadu. My thoughts are with the bereaved families. I pray that the injured recover soon. An ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. Those injured would be given Rs 50,000: PM @narendramodi,” the PM’s official X handle said.

On Saturday, a Tenkasi-bound tourist bus fell into a gorge and toppled after the driver lost control of the vehicle, killing 8 people.

The toll went up to nine with the death of one more woman today.

The victims had arrived in the hilly district for a pleasure trip and were returning home when the mishap occurred. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

World

Global acceptance of Taliban depends on respecting women’s rights: US Envoy

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Amiri stressed the need for the international community to communicate to the Taliban that engagement seeks to improve the situation, conditional on respecting people’s rights

Published Date – 11:52 AM, Sun – 1 October 23


Global acceptance of Taliban depends on respecting women’s rights: US Envoy

Representational Image

Kabul: If Taliban does not respect women’s rights, it cannot join the international community, the US envoy for Afghan women and human rights, Rina Amiri said, Khaama Press reported on Saturday.

Amiri, on her social media platform X, revealed that during the 78th UN General Assembly, she engaged in high-level meetings with officials from various countries, concentrating specifically on Afghanistan and the challenges faced by women and girls.

According to Amiri, officials delivered a clear message: The Taliban must respect Afghan and women’s rights to be part of the international community, according to Khaama Press.

During a meeting with representatives of Muslim-majority countries on the sidelines of the UNGA, there was unanimous agreement that the Taliban’s oppressive policies, especially towards women and girls, are incompatible with global norms and deeply harmful to Afghanistan.

The participants committed to sustaining international solidarity for Afghanistan and emphasized the importance of diplomatic and concrete efforts to support Afghan women and girls.

Meanwhile, Amiri stressed the need for the international community to communicate to the Taliban that engagement seeks to improve the situation, conditional on respecting people’s rights. She emphasized promoting civic discourse, tolerance, and meaningful representation for women and civil society in Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.

She also called for concrete support, including education, scholarships, and job opportunities, to counter the Taliban’s repressive actions.

Notably, with the resurgence of the Taliban in August 2021 in Afghanistan, the country’s educational system has suffered a significant setback. As a result, girls have been deprived of access to education, and seminaries or religious schools have gradually filled the void left by schools and universities.

Afghanistan’s women have faced numerous challenges since the Taliban returned to power in 2021. Girls and women in the war-torn country have no access to education, employment and public spaces.

A startling 80 per cent of Afghan girls and young women, who are of school-going age, are currently denied access to education under the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, a new report by Care International stated, according to Khaama Press.

It has been more than two years since girls above grade six have been prohibited from attending schools in Afghanistan, and it is unclear when those doors will reopen, Tolo News reported.

Afghanistan remains the only country to ban girls’ and women’s education, resulting in a substantial economic toll of approximately USD 5.4 billion.

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Centre's Action Plan To Check Air Pollution In Delhi Takes Effect

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Centre's Action Plan To Check Air Pollution In Delhi Takes Effect

All other existing measures taken under different stages of GRAP will continue.

New Delhi:

The Graded Response Action Plan — a set of anti-air pollution measures implemented in Delhi-NCR during the winter — came into effect on Sunday.

The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), an autonomous body tasked with improving the air quality in Delhi and its adjoining areas, made crucial changes to the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP) last year and again in July.

The new changes include strict restrictions on the plying of overage vehicles and a complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in eateries, restaurants and hotels when the Air Quality Index (AQI) breaches the 200 mark.

BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers will be immediately banned in Delhi and Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar if the AQI crosses the 400-mark.

The CAQM, a statutory body formed under an Act in 2021, amended the GRAP in 2022 to ensure proactive implementation of anti-air pollution steps based on forecasts up to three days in advance.

Earlier, the authorities would implement these measures, including a ban on construction and demolition, entry of high-emission vehicles and the use of coal and firewood, only after the pollution level touched a particular threshold.

The GRAP for the National Capital Region (NCR) is classified under four different stages of adverse air quality in Delhi: Stage 1 – ‘poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage 2 – ‘very poor’ (AQI 301-400); Stage 3 – ‘severe’ (AQI 401-450); and Stage 4 – ‘severe plus’ (AQI >450).

The revised GRAP recommends strict enforcement of the orders of the Supreme Court and the National Green Tribunal on overage diesel and petrol vehicles under Stage 1.

It also calls for a complete ban on the use of coal and firewood in eateries, restaurants and hotels as soon as the AQI crosses the 200 mark. Earlier, the authorities would implement this measure under Stage 2.

New steps suggested as part of the revised GRAP include “strict action to curb air pollution at all identified hotspots in the region under Stage 2”.

Under Stage 3, states will have to impose strict restrictions on the plying of BS-III petrol and BS-IV diesel four-wheelers in Delhi and Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Gautam Buddh Nagar. The authorities may discontinue physical classes in schools for children up to Class 5 in such a scenario, the CAQM suggested.

At AQI above 450, four-wheelers registered outside Delhi, other than electric vehicles and those using CNG and BS-VI diesel, will not be permitted to enter Delhi. However, those carrying essential commodities or providing essential services are exempt.

All other existing measures taken under different stages of GRAP will continue.

The CAQM on Saturday said Delhi-NCR recorded an average AQI of 167 from January 1 to September 30, the second-best for the corresponding period in six years.

Better air quality during this period was recorded only during the pandemic-affected 2020. In 2022, 2021, 2019 and 2018, the average AQI during this period ranged from 180 to 193.

The CAQM has also granted a three-month reprieve for the use of diesel generator sets in nine critical categories of emergency services, easing concerns over power disruptions in essential sectors in NCR.

It had earlier said the ban on diesel generators, imposed every winter to mitigate air pollution, would also cover essential services. 

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

World

US-Japan-S Korea alliance, NATO cancerous tumors of world

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“The military alliance of the US, Japan and the Republic of Korea, which is exposing hostile designs against North Korea and its neighboring countries, as well as NATO, the instigator of the Ukraine crisis, are cancerous tumors endangering the international order and posing a serious threat to world peace and security,” the North Korean Central News Agency quoted the diplomat as saying.

The senior diplomat also pointed out that the US, which is focused on uniting with allies to maintain its own hegemony, has no right to accuse independent states of trying to unite to counter the imperialist threat.

Im Chon Il added that it is the US-led alliances that pose a constant threat to the security of the independent states by displaying an “aggressive and chauvinistic nature” that poses the danger.

The US, Japan and South Korea have recently stepped up trilateral cooperation, especially on issues related to North Korea. In late August, a trilateral summit was held between US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at the US leader’s country retreat at Camp David, Maryland, near Washington. The North Korean leaders were one of the main topics on the agenda of the meeting.

MNA/PR