There has been talk in the Indian auto market of a possible partnership between Indian and Japanese giants. According to the information revealed, Tata Technologies has been in talks with a Japanese manufacturer regarding its upcoming product range. But the Japanese automaker is still unnamed. However, the wind blowing through the auto market points towards Honda, that unnamed Japanese manufacturer.
Tata-Honda Partnership: What’s Happening?
Honda is currently planning to expand its passenger-vehicle portfolio in India. However, one point where the brand gets stuck is in having a cost-effective architecture, which would require either localisation or help from a local brand. Now, according to industry reports, Tata Technologies is working closely with a Japanese automaker (could be Honda) to develop a new architecture.
At present, neither brand has revealed anything about this new architecture. So, which cars it will underpin, or which powertrain it will be compatible with, are currently under wraps. But we expect this new platform to be a modular architecture that could underpin the upcoming sub-4m Honda cars & SUVs. This is because Honda has recently shown interest in entering one of India’s highest-volume SUV segments, the compact SUV segment.
The brand has officially confirmed that it will begin launching an India-focused model from 2028. The first area is the sub-4m vehicle segment, and the other is the mid-size segment. Back in 2024, Honda confirmed that it had been working on a new platform, codenamed PF2, that will underpin its upcoming mid-size SUVs. The first model to be underpinned by this new platform is said to be a new 7-seater SUV, positioned above the Elevate.
That said, there has been no active development around the sub-4m platform, and this Tata-Honda alliance could focus on that area. Moreover, being future-proof, this new platform is expected to support a multi-powertrain option from ICE to EVs and hybrids.
What’s New For Buyers?
Now, if Tata Technologies helps Honda, it would help to have more cost-efficient products from local suppliers and to design according to Indian consumer requirements. Moreover, an architecture supporting multi-powertrain, including hybrids and EVs, will help Honda again have an edge over the market. Now, we know Honda had the first-mover advantage with the hybrids in India, but it didn’t capitalize on it at that time. But the Japanese automaker might not want to repeat the same mistake again.
So, if the Tata-Honda partnership focuses on a new range of sub-4m cars, we could see Honda develop a Tata Nexon soon. Moreover, using a domestic brand might reduce the final manufacturing and parts assembly costs, ultimately lowering the overall cost of the final model. If this happens, we could see the first Tata-Honda partnered car in the Honda showrooms by 2028.
Now, as neither brand has shared anything on this matter, until Honda officially announces the first vehicle associated with this programme, it should be treated as a possibility rather than confirmed product plans.