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Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
JLR to begin local assembly at Tamil Nadu plant from 2026
The upcoming Ranipet facility in Tamil Nadu will be ready by early 2026, with a dedicated plant for JLR's CKD assembly (Image used for representational purposes) Check Offers Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) will commence local assembly of its models in Tamil Nadu, starting in 2026. Tata Motors' Group CFO, PB Balaji, confirmed the development during a recent media interaction. The automaker plans to begin completely knocked down (CKD) operations at the Ranipet facility in Tamil Nadu from early 2026. At present, JLR locally assembles its luxury vehicles at Tata's Pune facility, and will migrate to the new Ranipet plant over time. Tata's New Ranipet Plant To Assemble JLR Models Tata plans to invest about ₹ 9,000 crore in the upcoming Ranipet plant, which will be crucial to JLR's future strategy. The facility will produce the next generation of vehicles for both Tata Motors and JLR, and will have an installed capacity of 250,000 units when fully operational. However, production will begin in a phased manner, with full capacity to be achieved over five to seven years. Also Read : JLR India sales jump 36% in H1 FY2025 as local assembly strategy pays off JLR has been assembling its vehicles in India since 2011. The brand assembles the Range Rover Evoque and Velar, as well as the Discovery Sport, at the Pune plant. Moreover, the flagship Range Rover LWB and Range Rover Sport have been locally assembled in India since last year. The Range Rover Evoque and Velar could be the first models to be assembled from JLR's lineup at the Ranipet plant Tata's new Ranipet plant will be a greenfield manufacturing facility with a dedicated space for the CKD operations. A recent report suggests that the Evoque and Velar will be the first models to be assembled at the plant. The Defender and Discovery could be next. The automaker, though, has yet to announce the same officially. The new facility is expected to create over 5,000 employment opportunities, both direct and indirect, upon full operationalisation. Also Read : 2026 Land Rover Defender revealed: 5 major upgrades on the luxury off-roader In addition to JLR models, the Ranipet plant will be crucial for Tata cars as the brand steps up production to meet growing demand. The facility is expected to produce the upcoming Avinya range, as well as future JLR electric models, making it a highly sought-after plant in the automaker's global ambitions. Get insights into Upcoming Cars In India, Electric Vehicles, Upcoming Bikes in India and cutting-edge technology transforming the automotive landscape. First Published Date: 26 Jun 2025, 08:04 AM IST
Hindustan Times
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Hindustan Times
Defender prices to drop by 50%? How India-UK FTA will affect prices
JLR commenced local assembly of the Range Rover LWB and Range Rover Sport last year, while it has been assembling the Discovery, Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque and Velar in India for a while now Check Offers The recently concluded India-UK Free-Trade Agreement (FTA) will have a major impact on the economies of both nations, but prices for the Range Rover and Defender models won't see a major drop as the Internet will have you believe. The India-UK FTA is expected to bring the taxation down from over 100 per cent to just 10 per cent. However, JLR's global best seller are already in made in India and that means, there is likely going to be little change in prices. Here's how. JLR commenced local assembly of the Range Rover LWB and Range Rover Sport last year, while it has been assembling the Discovery, Discovery Sport, Range Rover Evoque and Velar in India for a while now. With the models already being assembled here, it will see no change in prices for the range. On the other, the Defender, JLR's top-selling model in India will not see a change in pricing, despite bring a full import. The Defender is made at the brand's Nitra manufacturing plant in Slovakia, and not in the UK. Under the India-UK FTA, products covered under exemption are those built in either countries. Given the Defender's Slovakian origins, the model will see no impact on the pricing. Also Read : Defender Octa, the toughest Defender ever, launched in India That being said, rumours are rife that the Defender is next to begin local assembly in the country. JLR's Chief Financial Officer, Richard Molyneux, confirmed recently during an earnings call that local assembly for the Defender in India is in the works. However, the company is yet to officially announce plans or timelines for the same. We have reached out to JLR for a statement on the same, and will update this piece as and when the company responds. That being said, the Defender's local assembly won't bring down prices by 50 per cent either. It will, however, get more affordable by about 20 per cent, similar to how Range Rover prices dropped last year. (Please interlink RR price drop story here) The Defender is currently priced between ₹ 1.05 crore and ₹ 2.79 crore (ex-showroom) and is available in three body styles - 90 (3-door), 110 (5-door), and 130 (5-door extra long). Should the local assembly begin, expect starting prices to hover around the ₹ 85 lakh mark. But a timeline for the local assembly is yet to be ascertained. Also Read : JLR India sales jump 36% in H1 FY2025 as local assembly strategy pays off For JLR and buyers, the local assembly strategy works out better. The model is more readily available since the dependence on global allocations is lesser. Moreover, the fluctuating foreign exchange has a lesser impact on overall prices. The move also opens room for more opportunities to vendors, suppliers, and labour in the country, making it a more fruitful strategy in the long term. JLR is already reaping benefits of this strategy with the larger Range Rovers. The company registered a 40 per cent year-on-year hike in sales in FY2025, retailing 6,183 units, its highest-ever in India. Defender sales witnessed a spike by 90 per cent, while the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport grew by 72 per cent and 42 per cent, respectively. The record sales helped JLR move up to the third spot in the Indian luxury sales market, behind Mercedes-Benz and BMW, pushing Audi to fourth. Check out Upcoming Cars in India 2024, Best SUVs in India. First Published Date: 19 May 2025, 17:25 PM IST
