Renault Rethink: A New India Strategy at the Core of Global Growth Play

India has emerged as a key pillar in Renault’s global expansion strategy, with the country playing a central role in the automaker’s future volume growth. Under the newly launched ‘Renault Rethink’ plan, the company has acquired complete control of its JV plant with Nissan and committed $600 million in fresh investments. It also announced the launch of five new models and inaugurated a dedicated design center in Chennai.

“As part of the international game plan, it's now time for India, which is very important,” said Venkatram Mamillapalle, Managing Director of Renault India. The rollout follows earlier phases in Brazil and South Korea, where Renault registered 10.3% growth in Brazil and 80.6% in South Korea after the Grand Polios launch.

The ‘Rethink’ strategy aims to reconfigure Renault’s operations for agility, localisation, and long-term growth, with India now at the core.

Product and Capacity Expansion
Renault will launch five new models, including B+ and C-segment SUVs, tailored for Indian consumers. “We also have announced that we will do five new launches, with a B-plus and a CSUV,” said Mamillapalle.

This is backed by the company’s 100% acquisition of the Chennai facility from Nissan. “We have taken up a project of 100% acquisition of our manufacturing plant… and this re-establishes that we are here to stay,” he said. The plant has a 4.8 lakh unit capacity and is key to Renault’s scaling plans. “It is necessary that we all put the volumes in place and ensure the plant is more operationally profitable,” he added.

Design-Led Consumer Engagement
The newly launched Renault Design Centre in Chennai will anchor local product development. “Our robust steps for the future with the announcement of B+, CSUV, and EVs, and the plant takeover, and now the design studio prove that we are here to stay, and we are determined to win this market,” Mamillapalle said.

With India already the third-largest car market globally, Renault is betting on scale. “Currently, we are at 4.3 million TIV, and very soon, we will be crossing 6 million and also the 10 million mark,” he added.

Customer Experience and Brand Renewal
Renault has rolled out a new brand identity and dealership format — ‘R Store’ — with India being the first global market to adopt the change. “Renault Rethink is not only the name of our grand strategy here for India, but also much more than that,” said Francisco Hidalgo Marques, Vice President – Sales & Marketing, Renault India.

“It sets the ground for our brand transformation roadmap that you will see in the coming months and years,” he said. Marques described it as both a commitment to India and an invitation to rediscover Renault amid changing market demands.

He noted that Renault is a fully integrated OEM in India with over 15,000 employees across design, R&D, manufacturing, and sales. “We also have a plant… very soon, 100% Renault property. It’s a plant that has a 4.8 lakh capacity,” he added. On the retail side, “Renault in India is also more than 350 points of sales… and last year those 350 points of sales got more than 200,000 reviews in Google with an overall rating of 4.9.”

“We are proudly French, we are proudly Indian… you can call us the most Indian of European brands, or the most French of the Indian brands,” he said.

Global Performance and Outlook
Globally, Renault posted €56.2 billion in revenue, €4.3 billion in operating profit, and €2.9 billion in cash flow in 2024. It launched 12 new vehicles, secured back-to-back Car of the Year awards, and achieved European podium finishes.

With seven more launches planned in 2025, India is expected to play a significant role in Renault’s future scale. As the company accelerates under CEO Luca de Meo’s Renaulution plan, the Renault Rethink strategy anchored in India marks a pivotal new innings for the brand in one of the world’s most competitive auto markets.