In a decisive shift in strategy, Renault Group is placing India at the centre of its next phase of growth by handing greater autonomy and control to its local management, a move it believes is critical to staging a strong comeback in one of its most important markets.

Renault’s global leadership has acknowledged that earlier structures, driven by global processes, often limited the speed and flexibility needed in India. “During the past years, our organisation was too much scheduled… India-for-India for me means delegation to deliver the product at the speed of India, for Indian people, with accountability,” said François Provost, underlining the shift to a single, integrated leadership model with full local control across the value chain.

A key element of the strategy is a broad-based powertrain roadmap, with Renault planning to offer petrol, CNG, hybrid and electric options across its line-up. The company is aligning its product development to India’s multi-energy reality, where affordability, regulation and usage patterns demand a range of technologies rather than a single transition path.

The 'India-for-India' approach underpins Renault’s broader reset, which includes the rollout of two new platforms tailored for the market. At the entry level, the Renault Group Entry Platform (RGEP) will replace the ageing small-car architecture, supporting a new generation of compact products in the sub-₹10 lakh segment with improved digital capability and flexibility for multiple body styles.

For higher segments, Renault will leverage its CMF-B–based architecture to bring back a renewed SUV line-up, including the next-generation Renault Duster and a three-row derivative aimed at expanding its presence in the mid-size and upper segments. “When Renault localised its strong assets—SUVs, design, modern powertrains, European standards—we succeeded in India. When we do this, we can succeed again,” Provost said, pointing to the company’s earlier playbook as a guide for the future.

In parallel, Renault is sharpening its focus on exports from India, positioning its Chennai operations as a hub for both vehicles and components. The move is aimed at leveraging India’s cost competitiveness and engineering capabilities to serve global markets, while also improving scale and utilisation at its manufacturing base.
While Renault’s product pipeline will address gaps that emerged in recent years, the company’s leadership is clear that the core of its turnaround lies in organisational change. “They are one team, completely focused, with full delegation… this is the main change compared with before,”