The Auto Expo Over The Years
The first ever Auto Expo (1986), organised jointly by the Association of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (AIAM), the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) and the Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) aimed at providing a forum to showcase the prowess of a collective industry that showed tremendous potential for growth. At the same time, it hoped to provide important international exposure to Indian companies. A hundred and twenty exhibitors made sure that the pioneering attempt was noticed, even though group participation from foreign countries was noticeable by its absence. The years that followed were critical for the automobile industry per se, and the next Auto Expo surfaced only seven years later, but its return had been well worth the wait. Everything about it was larger: from the space occupied to the number of exhibitors, and of course, the number of visitors. Better still, group participation from eight countries ensured the success and the continued interest in a fair of this
proportion. The spate of joint ventures and the vigorous growth in the components industryproved responsible for its success.
But when Auto Expo came back in 1996, it truly occupied pride of place among auto shows, at least in this part of the world. True, there were bigger, more strategically organised shows in other countries, but the realisation of the strength of emerging markets in Asia by global giants became apparent at the '96 event. Not only did companies that already had a presence in India participate, but also those that showed a strong inclination to come to India.
The fourth Auto Expo has attained the status of the largest show in Asia. The Tokyo Motor Show may be more important considering the number of Japanese manufacturers, but it is commendable that Auto Expo '98 has already overtaken Tokyo when it comes to space provided for exhibitors. Over three lakh people visited the Auto Expo in 1996, and organisers are expecting the number to reach record proportions this time around. The visitor will see some very exotic machinery in the form of concept cars and sports/racing cars. And whether you're a businessman hunting for the deal of the century, or an enthusiast on the lookout for new things automotive, Auto Expo '98 won't disappoint you.