New Delhi: Renault Group have revealed their ‘FutuREady India’ strategy, putting India at the centre of their next phase of global growth. The French carmaker has said the new roadmap will make India one of its top three global markets by 2030, while also turning the country a major hub for technology and export.
The announcement was made in Chennai by François Provost, Renault Group CEO, who noted that India was one of the most important markets for Renault’s global expansion plans. As per the brand, India makes for more than one-third of the growth potential across markets where Renault already operates.
What are Renault’s plans for India?
At the core of this strategy, it is Renault’s largest-ever product push in India. The brand confirmed that it will expand its local portfolio to seven multi-energy vehicles by the end of this decade, with a lineup having everything from compact cars to larger SUVs. The range will also include ICE, strong hybrid and fully electric powertrains, highlighting a move towards cleaner mobility, while still catering to what Indian customers want.
Renault recently started deliveries of the newly launched Duster
Quite a bit of this expansion will be led by SUV, and Renault highlighted the new-generation Duster, which was first shown in January of this year, as an important pillar of its future India line-up. With that, the company also showcased the Bridger Concept, previewing a new B-segment compact SUV which will eventually come in both ICE and electric iterations.
All seven of the upcoming Renault models for the country will come on two new multi-energy platforms, RGEP and RGMP, letting the brand have flexible powertrain choices across segments. This is expected to give Renault the agility to respond more quickly to the evolving market demands, particularly for hybrid and EV adoption as it takes off in the country.
How might India become centre to the Renault’s future plans?
Apart from the products, Renault is also strengthening their operations in the country and having taken complete ownership of its Chennai manufacturing facility, the brand has better control over localisation, supplier integration and exports. The plant is also expected to play a bigger role in shipping both vehicles and components to international markets, in particular in South America.
Renault’s engineering presence in Chennai is also set for a bigger global role. Its technical centre, which already houses 6,000 engineers and IT specialists, will now work on vehicle platforms, software, architecture and future technologies for both India and global projects.
The company has set an aggressive target of generating €2 billion (about Rs 18,000 crore) in annual exports by 2030 through R&D, vehicles and components from India, highlighting the country’s growing importance in Renault’s worldwide value chain.
For improving customer confidence, Renault also announced the ‘Renault Forever’ initiative, which will focus on improved service quality, long-term ownership experience, and a 7-year warranty package for Indian buyers. The brand is clearly placing its products in every segment possible for aggressive growth in the country.