SMMT International Update January 2026

SMMT kicks off 2026 in India

Matt Smith, Head of International, shares about international activities for the January edition of the SMMT International Update.

With one of the largest vehicle fleets globally, India has a market of more than five million cars and trucks annually – with rising demand for vehicle maintenance and electric vehicles.

These trends will be on show at two key events in the coming weeks. Firstly, at the Symposium on International Automotive Technology in Pune this month, where SMMT is supporting the UK pavilion. And secondly, at ACMA Automechanika New Delhi in February, where SMMT has engaged with show organiser Messe Frankfurt to provide an Event Support Payment of £500 to UK companies visiting or exhibiting at the show.

There will also be opportunities to meet international delegates at SMMT Electrified this March, and later in the year with visits to markets including China, Germany, Slovakia and the USA.

Which markets are you looking to explore in 2026? If you are interested in joining SMMT’s activities, or want to suggest a new international market to explore, drop us a line for a conversation or register your interest (easy form – it takes about a minute) and we will get in touch.
 
All the best for your international business in 2026.
 

Upcoming events:

28-30 January, India: Symposium on International Automotive Technology (SIAT) one of India’s premier technology events

5-7 February, India: ACMA Automechanika New Delhi an event support payment of £500 from Messe Frankfurt is on offer to UK companies

11-13 March, Korea: InterBattery Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) is offering two complimentary nights of accommodation and assistance with pre-arranged meetings. Deadline is 27 January, contact us for more information

12 March, UK: SMMT Electrified the preeminent industry summit on decarbonisation and electrification of road transport, bringing together 450 senior representatives from industry, government and key partner sectors

11-15 May, Thailand: SUBCON Thailand international industrial part-sourcing and business-matching event, co-organised by the Thailand Board of Investment (BOI) who are offering incentives including complimentary accommodation, site visits and B2B meeting programme to companies who attend

8-12 September, Germany: Automechanika Frankfurt SMMT is organising the UK Pavilion at the largest international trade exhibition for the automotive aftermarket industry in Europe

2-4 November, Slovakia: CEE Automotive Supply Chain a trade mission including conference, B2B meetings and networking – expect to meet key players, local contacts and gain market knowledge of the Central and Eastern European region

TBC, Türkiye: Trade mission Türkiye SMMT is considering activity in Türkiye, with a strong automotive manufacturing industry and over 1.3 million vehicles manufactured in 2024, there is strong potential opportunity for UK companies.