Stellantis takes sole control of Thiruvallur plant, targets 50,000 units by 2027
Stellantis has bought out its Indian joint-venture partner, giving it full ownership of the Thiruvallur factory in Tamil Nadu and a plan to more than double output within two years.
- 18,000 units
- More than 50,000 units
- Over 160%
- 610 employees
What Happened
Stellantis India has taken over the whole of the joint venture behind its Thiruvallur factory in Tamil Nadu. It bought out its partner, a CK Birla Group company called Hindustan Motor Finance Corporation Ltd, and its Indian operating company is now wholly owned by Stellantis. The transaction was structured as foreign direct investment.
Output should rise steeply. The plant is expected to build 18,000 vehicles during 2026, and management is targeting more than 50,000 units a year by 2027. That would amount to growth of over 160 per cent.
50,000+units a year
Up from 18,000 units expected in 2026, a rise of more than 160 per cent.
The Thiruvallur site traces back to a 2017 tie-up with the CK Birla Group, an alliance that first brought the Citroen badge to Indian buyers. Four nameplates roll off the line: the C3 and eC3, plus the Aircross and Basalt. Finished vehicles leave as completely built units for eight export markets spread across four continents, and more than 95 per cent of content is sourced locally.
- 18,000 units
- More than 50,000 units
- 610, and Stellantis expects headcount to rise beyond twice that level
Stellantis says the ownership change will simplify governance and give the operation more flexibility. It says it has invested close to Rs 11,000 crore in India and sees the country as a key part of its global growth plan.
Why this matters
The change matters most to the people tied to the plant: Stellantis says output and headcount will climb sharply, which affects direct workers as well as suppliers and logistics firms around Thiruvallur. For Indian buyers of Citroen models built there, full ownership gives the carmaker sole control over a site that already exports to eight markets.
Terms in This Story
- joint venture
- A business set up and owned by two or more separate companies, which share its costs, control and profits.
- completely built unit (CBU)
- A vehicle imported or exported fully assembled, rather than shipped as parts for local assembly.
- localisation
- The share of a vehicle's parts and components that are made or sourced inside the country where it is built.
- foreign direct investment
- Money a company based in one country puts into building or buying business assets in another.
A brief summary; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.