Backed by Stellantis' global mandate, Citroën eyes India as its second-largest market outside Europe, betting on new products, and retail expansion.
05 Sep 2025 | 16820 Views | By Darshan Nakhwa & Ketan Thakkar
Stellantis has sharpened its ambitions for Citroën in India, setting an immediate milestone of crossing 2,000 units in monthly sales while targeting a doubling of volumes by the end of FY26. The French brand, which entered India just a few years ago, believes its growing product portfolio, expanding retail footprint, ...
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Stellantis has sharpened its ambitions for Citroën in India, setting an immediate milestone of crossing 2,000 units in monthly sales while targeting a doubling of volumes by the end of FY26. The French brand, which entered India just a few years ago, believes its growing product portfolio, expanding retail footprint, and localised marketing efforts have now created the right environment to scale up in one of the world's most competitive car markets.
"At this point, the heroes are set up, the environment is created, and it is time for customers to experience the brand," said Shailesh Hazela, Managing Director and CEO, Stellantis India. "Our immediate milestone is 2,000 sales a month. Once we cross that, growth momentum will follow."
Citroën's Indian bet has strong backing from Stellantis headquarters. The company has set a clear global target: by 2030, India should become the brand's second-largest market outside Europe. For Hazela, this is more than just about sales. "India is considered an important market not only domestically, but also for the Asia-Pacific region," he said. "We have a global engineering team, a plant, a supply chain, and IT all sitting here. This ecosystem serves Citroën and Jeep across the region."
Hazela pointed out that Stellantis' new global CEO, Xavier Chardon, who earlier built the Citroën platform in Latin America, is well-acquainted with India's strengths. "That's a big plus because it is somebody who knows us, who knows the strength of India, and who has worked on it. We never felt absent in the global conversation," he said.
Products Driving Growth
Citroën India currently sells five models: the C3 hatchback, the eC3 electric hatch, the Aircross SUV, C5 Aircross SUV, and Basalt SUV-coupé. Its flagship, the C5 Aircross, continues as a premium import.
The brand's CMP modular platform underpins most of these products, offering flexibility to accommodate petrol, EV, and potentially hybrid powertrains. "This product (Basalt) is capable of multi-energy, not only petrol, but also hybrid and electric," Hazela said. While India currently has the eC3 as its sole EV, other electrified derivatives could be added when market conditions align.
On the investment front, Stellantis has already spent ₹11,000 crore in India, covering its manufacturing plant in Tamil Nadu, R&D hubs in Chennai and Pune, and its supplier ecosystem. Hazela said, "The good thing is that we already have the plant and engineering base in India. What matters now is choosing platforms that make economic sense."
Free trade agreements (FTAs) are also shaping Stellantis' long-term plans. "FTAs give certainty for countries where we have them, ensuring longevity of sourcing and exports," Hazela said.
Getting Closer to Customers
While new products form the "hero" of the strategy, retail reach and customer experience are seen as equally vital. Kumar Priyesh, Director of Automotive Brands, Stellantis India, said the company is adopting a 'spoke' dealership model to expand cost-effectively into smaller markets. "We are looking at smaller, frugal setups as extensions of existing dealers. The first priority is to get closer to customers," Priyesh said.
He added that the company has overhauled training and manpower processes in the last six months. "The people interacting with customers must know the product and the processes fully. That's how we deliver the right experience," he said.
On the company's marketing strategy in India, the management said it is also evolving. Instead of relying solely on central campaigns, Stellantis will empower dealers to drive localised marketing with central support. "Dealers know their markets better than someone sitting in Mumbai," Priyesh said. "We will provide the guidelines and support, but campaigns will be more dealer-driven."
At the national level, Citroën is betting on high-visibility, while also pushing regional communication. "India is not one India. That's why our ads and even our CARA AI assistant speak in regional languages—from Bhojpuri to Assamese to Gujarati. That's the learning we've applied: connect with people in their language, their culture," Hazela said.