Renault India MD Venkatram Mamillapalle outlines revival plan, says India is entering Renault’s next growth phase post global restructuring.
23 Jul 2025 | 7276 Views | By Prerna Lidhoo
Renault India has launched the all-new Triber at Rs 6.29 lakh as a symbol of its resurgence in the Indian market. For Venkatram Mamillapalle, MD of Renault India, the model reflects the company’s deeper localisation strategy, renewed brand philosophy, and its ambitions to reclaim lost ground. “It is not the ...
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Renault India has launched the all-new Triber at Rs 6.29 lakh as a symbol of its resurgence in the Indian market. For Venkatram Mamillapalle, MD of Renault India, the model reflects the company’s deeper localisation strategy, renewed brand philosophy, and its ambitions to reclaim lost ground. “It is not the tax which is driving the price, it is localization. Extensive localization of 95%, right from engineering design to supplier integration, all done with Indian partners in Chennai. We’ve aimed for tier-n level localization," he said.
Renault’s market share had peaked at 2.68% in 2020, but fell to less than 1% in recent years. Mamillapalle attributes the decline to a storm of setbacks: the departure of the alliance CEO, the COVID-19 pandemic, semiconductor shortages, and the Russia-Ukraine war. “We had to shut down four plants in Russia. That cost Renault €3 billion. The company went into survival mode. The focus shifted entirely to reviving Europe,” he explained.
However, with Europe back on stable footing by 2023, Renault announced an investment of ₹5,400 crore in India, and India has now re-entered the Group’s global growth radar. “This is the beginning of our new product journey,” Mamillapalle said. “We’ve committed to launching four new models in the next two years—expanding from A segment to B+, and even C segment vehicles.”
Infrastructure and Design Push
India is also becoming Renault’s global design and development hub. “After France, our Chennai design studio is now the largest in the world. The complex has around 6,000 engineers. It’s a clear testament of our long-term commitment to India,” he said.
Renault is also in the process of acquiring 100% ownership of its plant in India from the Renault-Nissan Alliance, a move expected to be completed in a few weeks. "This renewed focus will make us nimble, faster product launches, decision making and leaner organisation will help us in the long run. Right now the focus will be on making sure the plant runs at its full capacity," he said.
Powertrain Strategy
While diesel is off the table, Renault’s India strategy includes CNG, ethanol, hybrids and EVs based on market maturity and ecosystem readiness. “We are waiting for the right ecosystem, regulation, and customer confidence before we bring EVs in. Safety is critical. So, we’ll announce when the market is truly ready," he adds.
On hybrids, he acknowledged the regulatory ambiguity. “Hybrids don’t get central government subsidies yet, unlike EVs. But they offer better comfort and range. We’re waiting to see if government support changes.” The company, he adds, could also shift to fully factory-fitted CNG kits if volumes and financials justify the investment.
Going forward, the company's aim is to grow gradually in order to revive lost market share. While Renault stopped short of committing to a specific market share, the company’s near-term goal is to fully utilize its manufacturing capacity and launch relevant products for the Indian market in all segments. "Market share is a by-product of many factors. Our focus is on product ramp-up, capacity utilisation, and customer response. This is just the first chapter of our India growth story.” he said.