Renault ends joint venture with Nissan, takes full control of Chennai plant
While the plant will continue to produce vehicles for Nissan, Renault will now exercise full control over operations. The acquisition marks a key step in Renault's plan to develop India as a major international hub. It follows the April announcement of Renault's largest design centre outside France and the launch of the New Renault Triber, the first of four new models expected as part of a broader product rollout.
However, an engineering centre jointly operated with Nissan remains active, still contributing to vehicle development for both local and export markets.
Leadership and future direction
Renault has announced that Stephane Deblaise will take over as CEO of its Indian operations, effective September 1, 2025. His role will involve managing the transition and overseeing product rollout in a market where the company has seen both early success and recent stagnation.
Despite reaching annual sales of over 100,000 units in the past, Renault's position in India has been challenged by increased competition and changing consumer preferences. Whether full ownership of manufacturing will help reverse that trend remains to be determined.
This transition comes at a time when automakers are rethinking their global strategies in response to changing consumer demands, tighter emissions regulations, and rising costs.
Francois Provost, CEO of Renault Group, commented on the change, "India is a key market for Renault Group. Over the past 14 years, we have successfully established the Renault brand thanks to our dedicated teams and partners, reaching peak sales of over 100,000 vehicles sold per year. India also plays a vital role in our global R&D footprint. With full ownership of our plant in Chennai, we now have all the means to accelerate in India. Stéphane Deblaise, with his strong international experience and deep knowledge across our entire value chain, is ideally positioned to design and implement our strategy in the region."
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