Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, announced on Monday that he is thinking about introducing a law that would require vehicle horns to use sounds from Indian musical instruments. At an event, he explained that the goal is to make vehicle horns more pleasant by using sounds like the flute, tabla, violin, and harmonium.

He pointed out that the transport sector is responsible for 40% of the country's air pollution. To address this, the Modi government is encouraging the use of green and biofuels like methanol and ethanol for vehicles. Gadkari also emphasized the growth of India's automobile industry, mentioning that the country earns a lot from exporting two-wheelers and cars. The industry's value, which was Rs 14 lakh crore in 2014, has now increased to Rs 22 lakh crore. India has now surpassed Japan to become the third-largest automobile market in the world, only behind the United States and China.

In FY25, the passenger vehicle (PV) segment showed strong growth in both domestic and export markets, thanks to the rising demand for utility vehicles (UVs). According to data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), the PV segment achieved its highest-ever domestic sales in FY25, reaching 43,01,848 units. This represents a year-on-year (y-o-y) increase of 1.97% compared to 42,18,750 units in FY24. In the latest financial year, PV exports hit a record high of 7,70,364 units, showing a 14.62% year-on-year growth from 6,72,105 units in the previous year.

According to SIAM, the increase in exports is due to strong demand for global models made in India, especially in markets like Latin America and Africa. The industry group also pointed out that some manufacturers have begun exporting vehicles to developed countries.