Chennai: Renault Indian Private. Limited, which currently holds less than 1% of the country’s auto market, set a third of its market share in an ambitious plan on Tuesday, powered by a network of dealers launched and expanded by five new vehicles.
The French automaker’s aggressive plan has completed a few weeks after acquiring Japanese automaker Nissan in its manufacturing joint venture Renault Nissan Motor India PVT. Limited
Following the acquisition, Renault has gained 100% control over the Tamil Nadu auto manufacturing plant, which has the capacity to produce over 400,000 vehicles per year.
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“This acquisition will help us bring decisions to one leadership. With both companies present, it used to take some time to reach common ground and then implement this decision,” Venkatram Mamillapalle, Managing Director and CEO of Renault India, Renault India, said in an interview.
By 2027, the company plans five new releases, including two SUVs and an electric vehicle (EV). In addition, it will increase the number of dealers at the current 362 touchpoints nationwide.
The company entered the Indian market in 2005 and is bringing key changes to its strategy to expand its customer base and include more senior buyers.
“We are mainly aimed at ₹1 million segments, but now our customer profile will see a diversified transcendence ₹1 million,” Mamillapalle said.
Together with its manufacturing units, it also merges its design center into one in Chennai. Through this center (compared to the size of previous design studios, both will design cars for Indian and global markets.
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Renault India sold 38,636 vehicles in fiscal 2025 (FY25), about 18% lower than last year.
Its market share is also below 1% over the year, reaching 0.93%. This is nearly 5% growth in India’s overall auto market to record 4.15 million units of retail sales in fiscal 25.
“Our goal is to increase the quantity and leverage our capacity in Tamil Nadu. The increase in volume will be a by-product of gaining market share,” Mamillapalle noted.
Renault Group has identified India as a priority market along with others like Brazil and South Korea as part of its international plan.
India ranks 13th in its top 15 markets in Renault Group’s global sales.
But given the country’s top five automakers, led by Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and Tata Motors, have increased their market share in the slowdown in the auto market, it’s easier to say than to do.
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In addition, the slowdown in retail has also increased the inventory levels of dealers from top players in January to around 50 days in March due to weak consumer sentiment.
“As retail activity declines, forecasts for April and May appear to decline,” Phillipcapital analysts wrote in a March 30 note.
However, Mamillapalle attracted optimistic attention.
“The government’s income tax benefits, the repurchase rate and salary bonuses of RBI that have been cut in the coming months will help drive car sales,” he said.
