Just concluded 2021 will stand out as a defining year for the tyre industry in India as it embarked upon an ambitious initiative – Charting a path to greater raw material security by attaining self-reliance in natural rubber (NR) availability.

The journey to become self-reliant is not new for the Indian tyre industry. The industry was amongst the first ones to become self-sufficient much before the slogan of being Atma Nirbhar was coined. For years, India has been producing practically all the tyres it requires making it one of the few countries that are self-dependent in tyre manufacturing. Much before a vehicle is rolled out, the tyre Industry is ready with the fitments having worked out specifications and standards to the minutest details.

While India has developed globally competitive tyre manufacturing capabilities, realising the vision of being Atma Nirbhar necessitates achieving self-sufficiency of the entire value chain in view of strong backward and forward linkages.

In this context, the ATMA NR project, launched during the year, attains all the more importance. Natural rubber is a key raw material for the Indian tyre industry. Unlike the global scenario where the ratio is skewed in favour of synthetic rubber, Indian industry stands out for its unique preference for NR.

However, NR demand has been outstripping domestic supply and the gap is widening. Going forward, the situation may become more challenging for the NR Consuming interests. Imports may not be sustainable considering the strategic importance of NR as raw material and also in view of large outflows of foreign exchange that the Government has been trying to discourage.

As one of its kind initiatives that could hold a template for several other raw material intensive sectors, the NR Project is designed to implement the scheme for developing a substantial 200,000 hectares of rubber plantations in the North Eastern states financially supported by major tyre companies, represented by ATMA with technical support and coordination by the Rubber Board.

This collaborative project in PPP mode involving tyre majors, Rubber Board and financing institutions is a landmark initiative where the consuming industry would be contributing directly to the development of plantation.

The project took off early in the year with a visit to the North East (Tripura, Meghalaya & Assam) by top leadership from ATMA Member companies along with Dr KN Raghavan, Executive Director of Rubber Board in February 2021 to get a first-hand understanding of ground level situation and connect with state leadership and policy makers.

Minister for Commerce & Industry (CIM), Government of India Piyush Goyal has been the prime motivating force, mentoring the project at every step right from the inception. A meeting convened by the Minister in the month of June 2021 discussed threadbare the launch of the project and the road ahead. The CIM proposed a meeting with the chief ministers of North-Eastern states to take them on board, seek their full support and fast track the project. The CIM even offered to speak to the CMs to inform them about the wider benefits of the NR Project for their respective states.

Since availability of planting material locally in North East states was a challenge, plans were made to transport the saplings from Kerala to the North East by rail. Few thousand saplings were initially sent as a pilot which reached Guwahati in good condition.

 It was an emotional moment for all the stakeholders in natural rubber sector, when the first full consignment was sent by a special train 'Bharathappuzha - Brahmaputra Rubber Express', to Azara, Guwahati, from Thiruvalla Railway Station on 10th July 21. It carried 1.33 lakh rubber saplings packed in specially designed cartons. These saplings were distributed in the NE states for planting in the identified areas.

Eventually, Biplab Kumar Deb, Chief Minister of Tripura formally launched the NR Project under Chief Minister's Rubber Mission on 14th August 21 at Pathaliaghat in Sepahijala district of Tripura and the project is shaping up well ever since.

 India has emerged as a front runner as the world pursues alternatives to China in the field of manufacturing. Given the spirit of entrepreneurship backed by the policy reforms, the country is poised to play its due role in the global supply chains.

At the same time, the need for raw material security cannot be over emphasised as India looks to become the manufacturing hub of the world. It goes to the credit of the Government that it has shown keen interest in enabling policies to encourage domestic manufacturing, including tyre and allied sectors.

The fact that the ATMA NR Project could see the light of the day under the shadow of ongoing pandemic says a lot about the commitment of all the stakeholders to fight against odds. That surely augurs well for raw material security and sustainability as we welcome the New Year.

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Mitas, Official Agriculture Tyre Sponsor of the National Tractor Pullers Association (NTPA) and Title Sponsor of the Mitas National Finals Pull-Off, will occupy the spotlight at the Champaign County Fairgrounds in Urbana, Ohio, on 19 September, when the 2026 Grand National titles are decided.

Serving as the closing Grand National fixture of the season, the 39th Mitas All-Star Pull-Off also wraps up the brand's first year as the association's official agricultural tyre partner. That arrangement forms part of a three-season commitment spanning 2026 to 2028, drawing the company nearer to a North American motorsport discipline where immense engine output, grip and staying power face relentless scrutiny with every pass.

Two tyres will illustrate the breadth of the company's agricultural know-how at the venue. The PowerPull 01 30.5L-32 exists purely for pulling competition, arriving as a smooth tyre devoid of any moulded tread so crews can carve bespoke patterns suited to the track and their own machine setup; its tailored compound and tough build supply the grip, endurance and repeatability the sport requires. The VF 750/60R46 CFO 189D HC1000, by contrast, serves high-capacity self-propelled sprayers and comparable field duties, using Very High Flexion engineering to bear heavy loads at lower pressures while a broad contact patch spreads weight and keeps traction. Its tread delivers grip, longevity and self-cleaning ability for dependable service in punishing conditions.

When the 2026 NTPA season reaches its finale in Urbana, the sport's leading pullers and their followers will gather for a fitting celebration. Mitas will be present throughout, tying together the track and the field by demonstrating how the traction, durability and reliability demanded in competition echo the very traits underpinning its agricultural tyre lineup.

Andrea Masella, Marketing Director, Yokohama TWS, said, "Tractor pulling puts enormous demands on every part of the machine, including the tyres, making it a great environment to demonstrate what traction, durability and reliability mean when performance is pushed to the limit. We are proud to support NTPA as its Official Agriculture Tyre Sponsor and to bring our expertise to the Mitas All-Star Pull-Off. This partnership allows us to connect with the pulling community while highlighting the performance focus behind our agricultural tire portfolio. Pull like a Bull — on the track and in the field."

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Michelin has introduced an automated regrooving system called NAZCA, aiming to modernise a retreading practice that has served truck, bus and coach tyre maintenance for more than a century. The manual method demands specialised expertise and now confronts ergonomic strain and a shortage of skilled workers. Developed by Michelin engineers, NAZCA automates the process while following manufacturers’ recommendations, targeting consistent quality and repeatability. The system employs a high-density laser scanner and advanced algorithms to exploit every millimetre of usable rubber.

Because each tyre possesses a unique geometry, NAZCA adjusts cut depth in real time across the tyre’s full width and circumference. After more than a year of real-world testing, the machine can raise the number of regrooving jobs a workshop completes. Michelin estimates a capacity increase of 30 percent to 50 percent, depending on operating conditions. Each regrooving operation requires under three minutes of technician hands-on time, allowing staff to handle alignment, repairs and tyre mounting or removal.

This supports greater workshop profitability and flexibility. NAZCA accommodates a wide range of tyre brands and sizes, provided the casing is robust enough for the lifespan-extending procedure. About 20 NAZCA machines are in pilot testing across Europe. Michelin plans further rollouts in various countries in 2027, subject to applicable regulations, with a gradual commercial launch tailored to each market. The system will appear at the Michelin stand during IAA Transportation in Hannover from 14 to 20 September 2026.

NAZCA forms part of Michelin’s multi-life model, pairing regrooving and retreading so a tyre can last up to 2.5 times longer than a single-life product. Regrooving enables use to the legal wear limit, adding up to 25 percent more mileage and up to 5 percent fuel savings. Retreading completes the approach: initial REMIX retreading can double mileage for roughly 60 percent of a new tyre’s cost, while REMIX 2 premium retreading, available for 90 percent of Michelin truck lines, delivers 95 percent of new-tyre performance for about 60 percent of the cost, cutting cost per kilometre by 33 percent. Each retreading also saves about 50 kg of raw materials per tyre.

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Dr Suttipong Angthong, Secretary-General of the Association of Natural Rubber Producing Countries (ANRPC), delivered a keynote address at the Sustainability in Tires 2026 conference in Bangkok on 3–4 September 2026, presenting the organisation's positions on eco-friendly supply chains, market dynamics and ethical production methods vital to the global tyre sector.

His participation highlighted ANRPC's leadership as the principal representative of rubber-producing nations, working to guarantee that smallholder farmers and member countries help shape global sustainability criteria while building strategic alliances with tyre makers and processing firms.

Through such international engagement, ANRPC promotes environmentally responsible cultivation, equitable commerce and traceable supply networks, connecting the natural rubber industry to worldwide ESG frameworks and safeguarding a durable, sustainable future for every stakeholder.

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Pirelli’s Hard tyre played a decisive role as Kimi Antonelli won the inaugural Formula 1 race at the Madring, mastering a one-stop strategy to take victory in the Spanish Grand Prix. The Mercedes driver finished ahead of Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, extending his World Championship lead in the process.

All three podium finishers made their sole pit stop during a Virtual Safety Car period between laps 14 and 15. Antonelli and Norris swapped Pirelli Mediums for Hards, while Verstappen replaced his starting Softs with Hards. The one-stop approach proved dominant across the grid, with only George Russell, Carlos Sainz, Oliver Bearman, Fernando Alonso and Valtteri Bottas stopping twice.

Track temperatures peaked at 52°C and air temperature reached 32°C, mirroring conditions from earlier in the weekend. Russell, Antonelli’s closest title rival and team-mate, came home fifth. Antonelli now leads the standings on 292 points, with Russell second on 211. The Azerbaijan Grand Prix follows on Saturday 26 September.

In supporting action, Dino Beganovic won Sunday’s Formula 2 Feature Race ahead of Alex Dunne and Ritomo Miyata, all three running Softs before Hards and pitting on lap 18. Ugo Ugochukwu secured the Formula 3 World Championship by finishing second in Madrid, as Freddie Slater’s eighth place allowed the title swing. Tuukka Taponen won the finale, with Pedro Clerot third.

Dario Marrafuschi, Pirelli Motorsport Director, said, “The teams approached today's race differently from what had been simulated on track on Friday. Thanks also to the opportunity provided by the Virtual Safety Car, they favoured a more measured management of pace and degradation, which allowed them to significantly extend stint lengths and made the one-stop strategy the preferred choice for the majority of the field. The star of the Grand Prix was the Hard tyre, a compound that had been little explored during free practice and which today demonstrated a very high level of consistency, proving to be the most robust of the three compounds from both a thermal and mechanical perspective. With the C2, we saw several stints exceeding 45 laps, reaching very high levels of wear without any significant performance drop-off. Both the Medium and the Soft also proved to be effective options despite the track temperatures. The C4, in particular, completed competitive stints comparable to those of the Medium in terms of durability.

“As expected, graining appeared mainly on the front-left tyre, on the inner area of the tread, but with limited intensity. The work carried out by the teams on car setup and tyre management helped to minimise its effects. In a race characterised by few overtaking opportunities, the drivers were able to focus on tyre management, contributing to a very straightforward contest from a strategic perspective. Congratulations to Ugo Ugochukwu for securing the Formula 3 championship title today at the end of a highly competitive season. The series continues to represent an important proving ground for young talents from all over the world. The fact that the title was decided only at the final round highlights the exceptionally high level of competitiveness within the championship, which this year delivered spectacular racing and outstanding sporting value.”

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