Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations

What Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations does

Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) is the apex national body of India's automobile retail industry, founded in 1964 by four regional dealers associations and headquartered in New Delhi. It represents over 15,000 automobile dealerships operating more than 30,000 outlets across India, spanning two-wheelers, three-wheelers, passenger vehicles, utility vehicles, commercial vehicles, tractors, and wheeled construction equipment. Its core functions are industry representation and policy advocacy with central and state governments, regulatory bodies, and vehicle manufacturers (OEMs). FADA pursues regulatory outcomes through writ petitions in the Supreme Court and High Courts, direct engagement with ministries including MoRTH and the Ministry of Heavy Industries, and representation on policy consultations such as the eVahan platform revamp with NIC and PwC.

FADA's product surface is organized into member services rather than commercial software. Core offerings include the monthly FADA Auto Retail Data release, the FADA Journal (monthly magazine), the FADA Newsline (daily e-newsletter), the FADA Dealer Satisfaction Study (with PremonAsia), the FADA Customer Experience Index (with Frost & Sullivan), and the FADA Dealership Excellence Awards. The FADA Academy vertical delivers executive education in partnership with IIM Udaipur, IIT Delhi, Imperial College London, and Cornell University, alongside automotive skilling programs with ASDC. The organization runs major industry events including the Vyapar state conventions, the annual Auto Summit, the Finance & Insurance Summit, and the Auto Retail Conclave. Dedicated verticals exist for Two-Wheeler dealers, Women in FADA (WiF), and next-generation leaders (GenX). Technology is not a product layer; FADA operates as a membership and information-services organization rather than a software platform.

FADA's business model is subscription-recurring membership dues from dealers and state chapters, supplemented by paid delegate registrations at events, executive training fees, advertising in the FADA Journal, and paid access to industry data and reports. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The organization is led by President C S Vigneshwar (37th President, from 2024) and CEO Saharsh Damani (the first professional CEO in FADA's history), supported by a governing council, regional directors, and 30+ state chapters. It is incorporated as a private non-profit, with no public listing, parent company, or external institutional investment identified in the available data.

Name

Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations

Legal name

FEDERATION OF AUTOMOBILE DEALERS ASSOCIATIONS

Website

https://fada.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1964

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

10,001+ employees

Short description

Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) is the apex national body of India's automobile retail industry, representing over 15,000 dealerships and 30,000+ outlets across all vehicle segments, providing advocacy, industry data, training, and events for authorized automobile dealers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Membership dues: FADA represents over 15,000 automobile dealerships and generates revenue through membership fees from dealer associations and individual dealers. The organization also conducts paid events, training programs, and publishes industry reports and journals.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

FADA is the apex national body representing over 15,000 automobile dealerships and 30,000+ outlets across India, offering policy advocacy, training, industry data, and networking services to its dealer members. Its core offerings include monthly vehicle retail data releases, a monthly journal, daily newsletter, executive education through FADA Academy, industry events such as Vyapar and Auto Summit, and dedicated verticals for two-wheeler dealers, women in auto retail, and next-generation leaders.

Product overview

FADA (Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations) is the apex national body of India's Automobile Retail Industry, founded in 1964. It does not offer a unified software product but rather a suite of member services organized into verticals. Its core offerings include: FADA Auto Retail Data (monthly vehicle registration data across all segments), FADA Journal (monthly industry magazine), FADA Newsline (daily e-newsletter), FADA Academy (training and executive education programs with IIM Udaipur and Imperial College London), FADA Dealer Satisfaction Study (annual OEM and F&I company satisfaction survey), FADA Customer Experience Index (with Frost & Sullivan), and FADA Dealership Excellence Awards. FADA also operates dedicated verticals for Two-Wheelers, Women in FADA (WiF), and FADA GenX (next-generation leaders), and organizes major events including Vyapar regional conventions, Auto Summits, and Finance & Insurance Summits.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• FADA Journal Monthly magazine providing insights from the automobile retail industry, covering policy, market trends, and dealer operations, distributed to FADA members and stakeholders with archives from 2018 to 2026.
• FADA Newsline Daily e-newsletter delivered via Mailchimp providing latest updates on automobile industry developments, regulatory changes, and FADA activities to dealer members and industry subscribers.
• FADA Academy Capability-building vertical offering workshops, online courses, executive programs, and residential programs for dealer principals, senior management, and shop-floor personnel, including collaborations with IIM Udaipur, Imperial College Business School, IIT Delhi, and ASDC.
• FADA Dealer Satisfaction Study (DSS) Annual survey measuring dealer satisfaction with OEMs and Finance & Insurance companies, conducted with PremonAsia, producing benchmarks and Dealership Excellence Awards for top performers.
• FADA Customer Experience Index (CEI) Annual index measuring customer experience across automobile dealerships in India, developed in collaboration with Frost & Sullivan, providing comprehensive benchmarking of customer experience.
• FADA Events (Vyapar, Auto Summit, Finance & Insurance Summit, Auto Retail Conclave) Industry events including Vyapar regional dealer conventions across Indian states, the annual Auto Summit, Finance & Insurance Summit, and Auto Retail Conclave, bringing together dealers, OEMs, policymakers, and financial institutions.
• Women in FADA (WiF) Dedicated vertical empowering women entrepreneurs in auto retail through networking, learning, and professional development initiatives.
• FADA GenX Vertical for second-generation FADA members providing leadership programs, workshops, mentorship, and dealership visit initiatives to prepare next-generation auto retail leaders.
• FADA Two-Wheeler Vertical Dedicated vertical addressing two-wheeler dealer-specific challenges, enhancing stakeholder engagement, and fostering operational excellence within the two-wheeler segment.
• FADA CARES Information portal covering conference updates, government/OEM representations, expert advisory services, GST seminars, policy updates, and FADA's advocacy efforts with ministries and regulators.

Quantifiable outcome

• Successfully filed writ petition in Supreme Court for ₹2,500 crore GST compensation cess refund
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Informatics Centre (NIC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026FADA has been approached by MoRTH-NIC to provide industry feedback, pain points, and recommendations for the proposed revamp of the eVahan platform. FADA is working closely with PwC to undertake structured assessment and develop comprehensive recommendations reflecting dealer experiences.
• SpinnyminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026FADA is collaborating with Spinny to map and document the end-to-end process flow for the sale and registration of pre-owned vehicles. The objective is to identify procedural bottlenecks and develop suitable recommendations for representation before MoRTH.
• Imperial College Business School, LondoncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026FADA Academy announced an exclusive Strategic Leadership Programme in collaboration with Imperial College Business School, London, scheduled for July 2026. Designed for forward-looking dealership leaders, the programme equips participants with global perspectives and strategic capabilities for resilient and future-ready businesses.
• IIM UdaipurcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026FADA Academy conducts a three-day residential executive programme in collaboration with IIM Udaipur, focused on leadership excellence within the rapidly evolving mobility ecosystem. Also conducted programmes on AI & Business Excellence for automotive retail industry.
• IIT DelhicoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026FADA Academy and IIT Delhi launched an Advanced Certificate Program for automotive retail professionals. This landmark association provides cutting-edge technical and management education for dealership leaders.
• Cornell University, USAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026FADA Academy is in advanced discussions with Cornell University (Ivy League institution) to launch an exclusive 7-day immersive international leadership program for FADA Members at the Cornell campus. This initiative aims to set a new benchmark in leadership development.
• PremonAsiacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026Partnership with PremonAsia, a Singapore-based research company, for conducting the Dealer Satisfaction Study (DSS) surveys. PremonAsia ensures fair and impartial evaluation of dealership performance through surveys and personal interview rounds before grand jury panels.
• Frost & SullivancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026FADA collaborated with Frost & Sullivan for the 2024 Customer Experience Index (CEI) study, providing comprehensive benchmarking of customer experience across automobile dealerships in India.
• NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association), USAcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026FADA leads annual delegations to NADA Convention in Las Vegas, USA. FADA led an 18-member delegation to NADA Convention 2026, including dealership visits to Gaudin Ford, Gaudin Porsche and Findlay Toyota. Ongoing collaboration for international dealer exchange and best practice sharing.
• Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 10 July 2026CEO Mr Saharsh Damani met with Mr Vincent Lin, Director of TAITRA India, to explore trade opportunities and foster engagement between Taiwanese trade bodies and Indian auto dealers.
• Jio Haptik (Meta's Premier BSP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026WiF vertical organized an AI session for automobile dealers on 'Driving Footfall, Customer Experience and Revenue' conducted by Ms Forum Nanavati, Head Global Partnerships, Jio Haptik. Also conducted sessions on conversational platforms for dealership sales enablement.
• Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 July 2026Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) signed between Government of Rajasthan, ASDC and FADA to advance automotive skilling and youth employability. Initiative targets skilling 10,000 youth annually through dealership-led on-the-job training, establishing Automotive Centres of Excellence.
• Automotive Skills Development Council (ASDC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 September 2025Tripartite agreement with FADA Academy and Prayaas Trust to expand automotive sector training programs from 3 to 20 centers across India, aiming to train 5,000 individuals over three years with 30% seats reserved for women. Addresses skilled worker shortage as vehicle technology evolves with growth of EVs and digital automotive systems.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• JAMA (Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association): Japanese trade association for auto manufacturers. Comparable as a national apex body representing the automotive industry with strong international positioning and policy advocacy, though primarily manufacturer-focused rather than dealer-focused like FADA.
• VDA (Verband der Automobilindustrie): German Automotive Industry Association representing manufacturers and suppliers. Comparable to FADA as a national auto industry body with strong policy advocacy, industry data publishing, and international engagement, though it covers the full industry value chain rather than just dealers.
• SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders): UK trade association for the UK automotive industry at large (manufacturers and dealers). Comparable to FADA as a national automotive body that publishes authoritative market data and runs industry events, but broader in scope since it covers OEMs alongside the dealer ecosystem.
• SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers): India's apex national body for vehicle manufacturers. Counterpart to FADA in India - while FADA represents dealers, SIAM represents the OEMs. They engage directly on policy matters such as dealer-OEM relations, BS-VI transition, and EV policy, making them a directly comparable industry stakeholder.

Direct peers

• Canadian Automobile Dealers Association (CADA): National association representing Canada's franchised automobile dealers. Highly comparable to FADA in structure: membership-based advocacy body that negotiates with OEMs, publishes dealer-focused data, and runs annual conventions and training programs.
• Australian Automotive Dealer Association (AADA): Peak industry body for franchised new-car dealers in Australia. Closely analogous to FADA in representing the collective interests of authorized dealers, providing advocacy, OEM relations, and industry intelligence to its members.
• NADA (National Automobile Dealers Association): U.S. national trade body representing franchised automobile dealers. Direct global counterpart to FADA - both serve as the apex advocacy, training, and data-publishing body for authorized auto dealers in their respective markets, and FADA actively maintains a partnership with NADA via annual convention delegations.

Regional players

• ACMA (Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India): India's apex body for automotive component manufacturers. Comparable to FADA as another major Indian automotive industry association operating alongside FADA and SIAM, though it focuses on the supply side rather than the dealer/retail side.
• PFA (Plateforme Française de l'Automobile): French automotive industry platform. Comparable as a national French body representing automotive industry stakeholders (manufacturers, dealers, suppliers) with policy advocacy and industry data functions, similar in scope to FADA's role in India.
• ANFAC (Asociación Nacional de Fabricantes de Automóviles y Camiones): Spanish association representing automobile manufacturers and importers. Comparable to FADA as a national automotive industry body focused on industry data, policy advocacy, and OEM/dealer coordination, but operating in the European market context.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/fada_india
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/federation-of-automobile-dealers-associations

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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