India’s mobility sector ended 2025 on a firm footing, with truck rentals rising sharply across major trunk routes in December and calendar year 2025 emerging as the best-ever year for vehicle sales, according to the latest Shriram Mobility Bulletin.
Truck rentals remained firm during the month, supported by renewed demand for goods carriers. Rates for 18-tonne payload vehicles increased across most key corridors, led by the Delhi–Mumbai route, where round-trip rentals rose 12 per cent year-on-year. Rentals on the Delhi–Kolkata corridor increased 9 per cent, while routes such as Mumbai–Chennai and Kolkata–Guwahati also recorded double-digit annual growth, reflecting sustained freight movement.
Demand for BS-VI-compliant trucks remained particularly strong in the National Capital Region due to the implementation of GRAP restrictions, which limit the movement of older vehicles. However, adverse weather conditions weighed on logistics activity toward the end of the month, with fog and snowfall in upper Himalayan regions disrupting the movement of vehicles and goods.
Auto industry growth
On the sales front, calendar year 2025 proved to be a landmark for the Indian automobile industry. Passenger vehicle sales grew 10 per cent year-on-year, supported by GST cuts and cumulative reductions in interest rates. Two-wheeler sales approached the two-crore mark, the highest recorded in a calendar year. Sales of three-wheeler goods carriers, maxi cabs and buses also touched record levels, indicating broad-based demand across commercial vehicle segments.
“The demand for trucks remained high in December, pushing up rentals across major trunk routes,” said Sudarshan Holla, Joint Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer – Commercial Vehicles, Shriram Finance.
Infra growth
Infrastructure and logistics indicators also pointed to strong activity levels. FASTag toll collections rose 9.4 per cent month-on-month in December, while transaction volumes increased 9.3 per cent, suggesting elevated freight and passenger movement at the year-end. Fuel consumption remained steady, with petrol demand rising 6.7 per cent year-on-year and diesel up 5 per cent.
E-way bill data indicated continued momentum in domestic trade. Intra-state e-way bill generation increased 31 per cent year-on-year, while inter-state transactions grew 24 per cent, despite seasonal moderation in activity.
Overall, the data suggests that robust freight demand, supportive policy measures and infrastructure-led activity helped the mobility sector close 2025 on a strong note, even as weather-related disruptions and rising vehicle prices pose near-term challenges.
