The first-ever edition of the Future Fleets Forum was held successfully on February 17, 2026, at the Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel, Delhi Airport, bringing together over 150 senior leaders from India’s fleet, logistics, and commercial vehicle ecosystem. The forum witnessed participation from leading fleet owners, CV OEMs, large logistics operators, and logistics heads for a day of practical and forward-looking discussions.
Organised by the team at the Commercial Vehicle Forum (CVF) – India’s premium C-level commercial vehicle platform – in partnership with LightMetrics, the forum focused on how Indian fleets are preparing for the next decade amid rising costs, evolving customer expectations, and rapid technology adoption.
Opening the forum, Rohit Dewan, Event Director, highlighted the growing influence of fleet and logistics stakeholders in shaping India’s road transport ecosystem. Drawing from nearly a decade of building CVF, he shared how consistent engagement from fleet operators led to the creation of the Future Fleets Forum as a dedicated platform to address real-world challenges and opportunities. He concluded his opening note by thanking the team at LightMetrics for supporting the initiative.
Discussions throughout the day underscored how efficiency, accountability, and technology adoption have become central to fleet profitability. In the opening keynote panel, speakers discussed how electric trucks are already viable on a total cost of ownership basis. They agreed that adoption will remain segment- and route-specific, with city logistics, mining, and last-mile delivery leading the transition. However, diesel is expected to remain dominant for long-haul operations in the near to medium term, owing to infrastructure limitations and operational flexibility requirements.
In the panels on AI and digitalisation, speakers highlighted how technologies such as telematics, video intelligence, and data analytics have evolved from pilot projects into everyday operational tools. AI is increasingly being used for safety monitoring, route optimisation, demand planning, and predictive maintenance. However, speakers stressed that clean data, intuitive dashboards, affordability, and visible return on investment are critical for wider adoption – especially among small and mid-sized fleets. Driver inclusion, data privacy, standardisation, and the growing driver shortage also emerged as key themes.
A key highlight of the forum was a deep-dive case study presented by Soumik Ukil, CEO, LightMetrics, and Saikiran Panuganti, CTO, FreshBus. They showcased how AI-led video intelligence is enabling safer, people-first passenger transport operations. The session reinforced that safety outcomes improve when technology empowers drivers through coaching, real-time feedback, and transparency rather than punitive enforcement.
Sessions on future-ready commute fleets and specialised cargo logistics further emphasised that safety, strong SOPs, skilled drivers, and disciplined processes are as important as technology adoption. Panellists agreed that long-term success will stem from collaboration across the ecosystem, gradual EV adoption, and a sustained focus on people, safety, and reliability.
The forum concluded with open networking and live demonstrations at the LightMetrics simulator, reinforcing a clear takeaway: the future of Indian fleets will be shaped by practical technology, collaborative ecosystems, and a deep commitment to safety and human impact.
The forum featured insights from an experienced lineup of industry leaders, including Girish Mirchandani, Editor, Transtopics; Reema Jogani, Director, Reema Transport Pvt. Ltd.; Kaushik Narayan, Joint Managing Director, PSN Group & LeapTrucks; Ramandeep Singh, Managing Director, Okara Roadways; and Rajiv Vij, Chairman & Managing Director, Carzonrent, among others.