The Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) announced on May 6, 2026, its support for a manufacturing hub being set up by Samvardhana Motherson International Limited (Motherson) within the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi (KEZAD). The facility will produce a range of automotive components for Motherson's global operations as well as for third-party original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers, and is positioned to function as a regional manufacturing and export base once fully operational.
The announcement marks a formal alignment between one of India's largest auto-components companies and Abu Dhabi's industrial investment framework, reflecting a broader push by the emirate to attract high-value manufacturing into its economic ecosystem.
The facility
The project is being developed in phases on a single land plot of approximately 87,652 square metres within KEZAD, one of the region's prominent industrial and logistics zones. Construction is already underway, indicating that the project has moved beyond the planning stage. The phased development approach suggests a long-term build-out, with the facility expected to scale capacity over time rather than come online as a single completed unit.
Once fully operational, the plant will serve as a regional manufacturing and export hub, producing automotive components both for Motherson's own global supply chain and for third-party OEM clients. The announcement did not specify the exact product lines to be manufactured at the site, but Motherson's broader portfolio spans wiring harnesses, polymer components, mirrors, and other vehicle parts supplied to major global automakers.
The facility will draw on Abu Dhabi's logistics infrastructure, including port and freight connectivity provided by AD Ports Group, to enable access to regional and international markets. KEZAD's location and integrated zone facilities are positioned to support efficient movement of goods across supply chains.
Employment and Emiratisation
The project is expected to generate more than 1,000 jobs across technical, engineering, manufacturing, and corporate functions. ADIO emphasised that the initiative is aligned with Emiratisation objectives — the UAE's policy of increasing the participation of Emirati nationals in the private sector workforce. Beyond direct employment, the project is described as a vehicle for knowledge transfer and capability development in advanced industrial sectors, which has been a consistent priority in Abu Dhabi's industrial planning.
The scale of job creation, combined with the emphasis on national talent participation, positions this project as one with both economic and social dimensions for the emirate.
The partnership fits within a pattern of deliberate industrial diversification that Abu Dhabi has pursued in recent years. ADIO described the project as reflecting its continued focus on enabling high-value industrial investment through a coordinated ecosystem that brings together infrastructure, connectivity, and business support services.
For Abu Dhabi, attracting a facility of this scale in the automotive supply chain sector contributes to several stated priorities — expanding non-oil export revenues, deepening local supply chains, and reinforcing the emirate's standing as a competitive manufacturing destination at a regional and global level. The automotive supply chain, which demands precision manufacturing and consistent quality standards, is considered a marker of industrial sophistication.
KEZAD, as the host zone, plays a central role in this strategy. Operated under the Abu Dhabi Ports umbrella, it offers industrial land, utilities, and logistics infrastructure designed to accommodate large-scale manufacturing operations and facilitate export-oriented production.
Motherson's UAE Plans
Motherson's Abu Dhabi manufacturing hub is not a recent development. The company had first disclosed its intentions through a stock exchange filing dated May 29, 2025, as part of a broader presentation covering its performance for the quarter and financial year ended March 31, 2025. At that stage, the UAE hub was flagged as part of the company's ongoing expansion strategy.
The May 6, 2026 announcement by ADIO represents the formal public acknowledgment of institutional support for that project, and comes with construction already in progress — suggesting that groundwork has advanced steadily since the initial disclosure.
Samvardhana Motherson International Limited notified both the National Stock Exchange of India and BSE of the ADIO press release on May 6, 2026, as part of its continuous disclosure obligations to stock exchanges. The company's Company Secretary, Alok Goel, signed the exchange communication.
Samvardhana Motherson International Limited is one of India's largest and most globally diversified auto-components manufacturers. Listed on both NSE and BSE under the ticker MOTHERSON (Scrip Code: 517334), the company supplies components to several of the world's leading automotive OEMs and has manufacturing operations spanning multiple continents. Its product range covers a wide spectrum of vehicle sub-systems, from vision systems and interior components to wiring and polymer parts.
The Abu Dhabi Investment Office is a government body under the Abu Dhabi government, mandated to attract, enable, and retain investment across sectors identified as priorities for the emirate's economic development. Its focus areas include technology, life sciences, agri-business, and advanced manufacturing — the last of which underpins its engagement with Motherson.