India-Europe Automotive Technology Partnership Targets 2035 Growth

India and Europe Could Strengthen Automotive Technology Collaboration by 2035

India and Europe could jointly account for 23.1 million new car sales by 2035, representing nearly one in four vehicles sold globally, while their combined vehicle exports could exceed 7.5 million units. Kishor Patil, Vice Chairperson of Nasscom and CEO of KPIT Technologies, presented these projections while advocating stronger automotive technology collaboration between the two regions. Speaking at ELIV 2026 in Germany, Patil proposed establishing a technology superhighway connecting India and Europe. The proposed collaboration would focus on software-defined vehicle engineering, autonomous technology, digital validation, and automotive artificial intelligence, bringing together complementary capabilities to support the industry's next phase of development.

A Technology Superhighway for Automotive Engineering

Patil's proposal centers on deeper cooperation between Indian technology specialists and European automotive manufacturers and suppliers. Rather than relying primarily on conventional vendor relationships, the envisioned technology superhighway would encourage collaborative engineering and longer-term research partnerships. Software-defined vehicles, autonomous technologies, digital validation, and automotive AI represent the key development areas identified in his remarks at ELIV 2026. The proposal reflects an approach in which organizations combine their respective strengths instead of attempting to develop every capability independently. Although the speech outlined the direction of the proposed collaboration, it did not announce a formal bilateral program, a specific implementation schedule, or confirmed investment commitments for the technology superhighway.

Why Joint Research and Development Matters

Patil urged European original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and Tier-1 suppliers to move beyond traditional vendor delivery models toward long-term joint research and development and shared intellectual property creation. Under this proposed approach, the relationship between technology providers and automotive companies would place greater emphasis on collaborative innovation rather than the delivery of narrowly defined services. Joint R&D could allow participating organizations to combine engineering expertise and coordinate technology development around common objectives. Shared intellectual property creation was also highlighted as an important element of the proposed model. However, the remarks did not identify specific participating companies, establish contractual arrangements, or confirm any particular intellectual property agreements.

India's Technology Sector Provides a Collaboration Base

Patil highlighted the scale of India's technology ecosystem as a potential foundation for deeper automotive collaboration. According to his remarks, the country's technology sector reached US$315 billion in fiscal year 2026, supported by 2,117 global capability centers (GCCs) and research and development facilities. These figures formed part of his argument for strengthening technology cooperation with European automotive companies. GCCs and R&D facilities provide organizational infrastructure for technology and engineering activities, while the proposed partnership would seek to connect relevant capabilities with automotive development priorities. The speech did not specify how many of these centers currently work on automotive projects or how much additional investment a closer India-Europe relationship might generate.

Projected Vehicle Sales and Export Opportunities

The projected 23.1 million new car sales across India and Europe by 2035 would represent nearly one-quarter of global car sales, according to Patil. Their combined vehicle exports could also exceed 7.5 million units. These figures describe the potential scale of the two regions' automotive markets and export activity, providing context for the proposed technology partnership. They are projections cited in his speech rather than confirmed future outcomes, and the remarks did not provide a detailed breakdown by country, vehicle manufacturer, or vehicle segment. The projections nevertheless help explain why closer cooperation across engineering, digital technologies, and research could be strategically relevant to automotive companies operating in both regions.

Key Details of the Proposed India-Europe Collaboration

Industry Impact & Outlook

A stronger India-Europe automotive technology partnership could create opportunities for automakers, Tier-1 suppliers, and engineering technology companies to coordinate software development and research across the two regions. The proposed shift toward joint R&D and shared intellectual property could also influence how automotive companies structure relationships with technology providers, particularly in software-defined vehicles, autonomous systems, digital validation, and automotive AI. India's reported technology-sector scale and its network of GCCs and R&D facilities provide context for Patil's proposal, while Europe's automotive industry represents the other side of the envisioned collaboration. The next meaningful developments would be concrete partnerships, defined research priorities, and implementation commitments; the speech itself did not confirm that these arrangements had been established.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the proposed India-Europe automotive technology partnership?
The proposed India-Europe automotive technology partnership is a collaboration concept intended to combine complementary capabilities in vehicle engineering, software development, and automotive research. Kishor Patil, Vice Chairperson of Nasscom and CEO of KPIT Technologies, presented the idea at ELIV 2026 in Germany. He described a technology superhighway connecting the two regions, with priorities including software-defined vehicles, autonomous technology, digital validation, and automotive artificial intelligence. The proposal emphasizes long-term joint research and development and shared intellectual property rather than relying exclusively on conventional vendor delivery models. The speech did not announce a formal implementation agreement.

How many new car sales could India and Europe achieve by 2035?
India and Europe could jointly account for 23.1 million new car sales by 2035, representing nearly one-quarter of global car sales. Kishor Patil cited this projection while advocating stronger automotive technology cooperation between the regions at ELIV 2026 in Germany. The figure describes their potential combined market rather than a confirmed sales outcome. The remarks did not provide a country-by-country breakdown, individual manufacturer targets, or a detailed explanation of the forecasting methodology. The projection serves as context for the proposed partnership and its potential relevance to automotive engineering, technology development, and export activity.

How many vehicle exports could India and Europe combine by 2035?
India and Europe could together account for more than 7.5 million vehicle exports, according to the projection cited by Kishor Patil. The figure was presented alongside the estimate of 23.1 million new car sales by 2035 as part of the case for stronger regional automotive cooperation. It represents a potential combined export volume, not a confirmed commitment by manufacturers or governments. The remarks did not specify how exports would be divided between the regions, identify individual exporting companies, or establish a schedule for achieving the projected total. The estimate highlights the potential scale of their combined automotive activity.

Which technologies are central to the proposed collaboration?
The proposed collaboration focuses on software-defined vehicle engineering, autonomous technology, digital validation, and automotive artificial intelligence. These four areas were identified by Kishor Patil during his remarks at ELIV 2026 in Germany. They define the principal technology priorities of the suggested India-Europe technology superhighway, which aims to connect complementary capabilities across the two regions. The proposal also emphasizes long-term joint research and development between European automotive manufacturers, Tier-1 suppliers, and technology providers. However, the speech did not identify specific development projects, technical milestones, participating engineering teams, or confirmed product launches resulting from this proposed cooperation.

What did Patil say about India's technology sector?
Kishor Patil stated that India's technology sector reached US$315 billion in fiscal year 2026, supported by 2,117 global capability centers and R&D facilities. He cited these figures to explain the potential foundation for stronger technology cooperation with European automotive companies. The figures provide context for his argument that India can contribute technology and engineering capabilities to a collaborative automotive ecosystem. His remarks did not quantify the automotive-specific contribution of the sector, identify the number of centers dedicated to vehicle engineering, or forecast additional revenue from the proposed partnership. The cited figures therefore describe the broader technology ecosystem rather than a confirmed automotive investment program.

Why is joint R&D important to the proposed partnership?
Joint research and development is central to the proposal because it encourages automotive manufacturers, suppliers, and technology companies to work together over longer periods. Patil urged European OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers to move beyond traditional vendor delivery models toward collaborative R&D and shared intellectual property creation. This approach places greater emphasis on jointly developing capabilities rather than limiting relationships to individual service deliveries. Such cooperation could support coordinated work in software-defined vehicles, autonomous technology, digital validation, and automotive AI. However, the speech did not establish specific commercial terms, intellectual property ownership arrangements, or binding commitments among participating organizations.