MAM
Mudra West wins Lonely Planet guide‘s creative and digital mandate
MUMBAI: Mudra West, an SBU of Mudra India, has won the Lonely Planet guide‘s creative and digital media account following a multi-agency pitch. Lonely Planet recently established operations in India to develop its first locally produced guides for Indian travellers.
BBC Worldwide‘s wholly owned subsidiary, Lonely Planet, has grown to become one of the leading global providers of travel information over the past 39 years. Lonely Planet has distributed English-language guides in India since the 1980‘s primarily been purchased by expatriates and inbound travellers.
Lonely Planet‘s Indian publishing team will drive the development of the new local products from offices in Gurgaon and Delhi. Lonely Planet India will initially launch both international and domestic guides for Indian travellers and will expand its local content offering across a range of platforms, including the internet.
Lonely Planet – India GM Sesh Seshadri said, “We are very excited about working with Mudra and the progress of our new guides – the first ever created in India by our new Indian team. Mudra inspired us with their marketing ideas and vision for how to launch and develop Lonely Planet‘s brand in India.”
Mudra West president Arijit Ray said, “Lonely Planet is an iconic brand in the travel space. For us it has been a privileged association. We had a great time launching the magazine in the country and now look forward to working closely with the Lonely Planet team to orchestrate the launch and positioning of the Lonely Planet guides, in India. Our biggest strength is a talented team that understands the sensibilities of the brand.”
Brands
Hyundai and TVS Motor partner to develop electric three wheelers
Joint development pact targets last mile mobility with localisation push
MUMBAI: Three wheels, one big ambition and a charge towards the future. Hyundai Motor Company and TVS Motor Company have signed a joint development agreement to co-create electric three-wheelers (E3Ws), aiming to crack India’s complex last-mile mobility puzzle. The collaboration moves beyond concept talk into execution mode, building on the E3W prototype first showcased at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025. The goal now is clear, design, develop and commercialise a purpose-built vehicle tailored to Indian roads, riders and realities.
Under the agreement, Hyundai will lead design and co-development, bringing its global R&D muscle and human-centric engineering approach to the table. TVS Motor, meanwhile, will anchor the product on its electric platform, leveraging deep three-wheeler expertise and local market insight. It will also handle manufacturing and sales in India, with an eye on exports down the line.
The timing is strategic. India remains the world’s largest three-wheeler market, where affordability, durability and adaptability often outweigh sheer innovation. The upcoming E3W aims to strike that balance combining advanced technology with practical features such as adaptive ground clearance for monsoon-hit roads, improved thermal management for tropical climates, and flexible interiors suited for passengers, cargo or emergency use.
A key pillar of the partnership is localisation. Major components will be sourced and manufactured within India, a move expected to strengthen the domestic supply chain, create jobs, lower costs and improve after-sales support.
The shift from prototype to production will involve rigorous testing, certification and refinement to meet regulatory standards and consumer expectations. Dedicated cross-functional teams from both companies are already in place to accelerate timelines.
At a broader level, the tie-up reflects a growing trend in mobility, global players partnering with local specialists to navigate emerging markets. For Hyundai and TVS, the bet is that combining scale with street-level insight could unlock a new chapter in sustainable urban transport, one that runs not just on electricity, but on relevance.
