From Chennai to the world: how India is reshaping Renault Group’s strategy

India: a rapidly evolving automotive market

For years, India was mainly seen through the prism of its market size and growth potential. Today, the picture is more nuanced, and far more compelling. The country has climbed to the position of the world’s third-largest automotive market, behind China and the United States, and now ahead of Japan. It continues to deliver some of the strongest growth rates in the industry. But beyond sheer volumes, the very nature of demand is shifting.

Indian consumers are young, connected and well informed. They are looking for vehicles that can adapt to multiple uses: navigating dense, congested cities, handling long-distance travel, supporting family life and enabling weekend getaways. In this context, SUVs have emerged as the segment of choice. In just over a decade, their market share has grown from marginal levels to more than half of all passenger vehicle sales.

This transformation has gone hand in hand with intensifying competition. New model launches are multiplying and expectations are moving upmarket. Price remains a key criterion, but it is no longer enough. Design, onboard technologies, comfort, interior space and brand image now play a decisive role. India has become a market where success depends as much on the relevance of product choices as on a deep understanding of local usage patterns.

Renault Group in India: an integration reshaping the market

It is against this backdrop that Renault Group has significantly strengthened its footprint in India. Present in the country for more than twenty years, the Group has reached a structural milestone by fully integrating its local operations. The full acquisition of the Chennai manufacturing site in 2025 marks a strategic turning point: India now hosts one of Renault’s most comprehensive ecosystems worldwide.

Around this production site, recognized for its quality and competitiveness, are anchored a leading engineering center and Renault’s largest design center outside France, inaugurated last year. This close integration between design, engineering and manufacturing makes it possible to shorten development timelines and tailor vehicles to the realities of the Indian market, while fully meeting the Group’s global standards.

This integrated organization is also supported by a dense and rapidly evolving commercial network, with more than 350 sales outlets and 450 service sites across the country. The objective is to strengthen proximity with customers, enhance their ownership experience and build lasting relationships of trust in a market that is as demanding as it is dynamic.

Within Renault Group’s international strategy, India now holds a position comparable to that of its other hubs (Latin America, Morocco, Turkey and South Korea). It is no longer limited to meeting local demand: it also contributes to the development of models intended for multiple regions around the world, notably through its role as an industrial platform for right-hand-drive markets.

Duster: the starting point of a new Renault momentum in India

The return of the Renault Duster is fully aligned with this new phase. Back in 2012, the model made its mark on the Indian market by opening the door to the compact SUV segment. With more than 200,000 units sold, it established itself as a benchmark, synonymous with robustness, versatility and a certain spirit of adventure.

Today, the Duster returns to a profoundly transformed environment. The market has matured, expectations have evolved and technology has become central. The new Duster has been designed to meet these demands. Developed and produced in Chennai, it embodies Renault Group’s ability to design vehicles that align with local usage patterns while fully embracing an international ambition.

The introduction of Full Hybrid E-Tech technology, Renault’s first in India, illustrates this pragmatic approach to innovation. It offers a concrete response to the challenges of sustainable mobility by combining energy efficiency, ease of use and driving pleasure. Integrated connectivity, comfort features and a strong focus on interior space also reflect an upmarket shift, in line with the current expectations of Indian customers.

Beyond the product itself, the Duster plays a catalytic role. It supports the revival of commercial momentum, strengthens utilization of the Chennai manufacturing site and underpins the Group’s ambition to double local production volumes over the medium term. It also symbolizes renewed confidence in the potential of the Indian market and in the ability of local teams to deliver on this ambition.

A future taking shape in India

India is emerging as one of the key territories where Renault Group is actively shaping its future: a future built on modular platforms, meaningful technologies, vehicles designed and produced close to customers and an organization capable of radiating internationally.
The return of the Duster is the natural entry point to this new chapter. But behind this icon, a long-term strategy is taking shape, one set to gain momentum in the years ahead, in step with a market that continues to surprise with its energy and capacity for transformation.