Renault Nissan Alliance has reiterated their commitment to India at a media conference in Chennai, Tamil Nadu.
Marking their first joint visit to India, Makoto Uchida, President & CEO, Nissan Motor Corporation; Jean-Dominique Senard, Alliance Chairman and Luca De Meo, CEO, Renault Group announced 4 new products for India, which also would be exported to other markets.
“India is not an easy market for OEMs for sure. Many carmakers have tried, but we are committed to India,” added Meo.
His message may have hinted at the fate of a few other foreign auto manufacturers like GM, Ford Motor and MAN Trucks who have tried their luck, but have exited the country.
He acknowledged that the company was not chasing unrealistic volumes and is not looking to beat the local strong players (the likes of Maruti Suzuki India, Hyundai Motor India, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra), but the “announcement is to justify our presence and to offer different products available in India. We have to be very creative in the way we offer our products here – new software, design. We have to find our secret sauce,” explained Luca.
“Never underestimate the power of the Alliance,” pointed out Senard. He stated that while the Alliance may sell a few thousand units in India, it is important to note that individually they continue to sell millions of vehicles across the globe in various countries.
While the automakers have been struggling with low retail volumes, it is now looking to introduce newer models which offer sustainable volumes for it and its dealers.
Luca stated “We were amongst the first companies to believe in India’s potential. Currently, we are amongst our low levels, but we have a strong team here including Renault Nissan Technology and Business Centre India. They are amongst the top global technology centre and are working on activities beyond India.”
“India offers a vibrant ecosystem of limitless opportunities. Developing new line up for Indian and export markets,” said Meo.
He added the India team is working on enhancing new technologies such as autonomous and connectivity for global markets.
It is important to note that the Alliance has invested billions in India and has plans to invest more. India also accounted for over 2.7 million cars produced, 1.2 million vehicles exported and over 4.4 million powertrains manufactured for domestic and global markets.
“The alliance has invested $1.8 billion (Rs 14,995 crore), which has impacted over 10,000 lives directly. There are around 300 suppliers locally and in more than 20 countries say Uchida.
When it comes to electrification the Alliance was in no hurry to start producing or selling EVs in India. “India market is in traffic, just like every other country. The regulations are evolving, we have to keep studying the market. We have to make sure the products are competitive, the ecosystem is developed and look at the consumer demand and policies as well,” said Uchida.
Responding to their views on EV Policy, the management said that they were still trying to understand the contour of the policy from the regional team.
While Renault, and Nissan both have struggled to expand their market share in India, their products have tasted a mix of success.
On the other hand, their investment in the Technical Centre has also contributed significantly to their global product development. The commitment to launch 4 new products in the near future, could be seen as a way of announcing the regional impact of the Alliance reshaping last year.
“The Alliance is in its new era. We have had this in our minds for years,” commented Jean.
