From mint · Nehal Chaliawala,Ayaan Kartik · · 1m 40s
JLR to localize Defender, launch EVs in India
JLR plans to assemble Defender in India and launch four EVs to compete with German luxury brands.
In brief
JLR plans to assemble Defender in India and launch four EVs to compete with German luxury brands. JLR will localize Defender production and introduce four EVs in India to counter rising German electric car sales. Originally reported by mint.
JLR to localize Defender production
Jaguar Land Rover will begin assembling its best-selling Defender at a Pune-area plant within a fortnight.
Defender assembly to cut prices by 20%
The move is expected to reduce the Defender's price by up to 20% to compete with Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
Rajan Amba on India market potential
Rajan Amba, JLR India's managing director, said India is a high-growth market with significant potential despite low current volumes.
Defender trims assembly strategy
JLR will assemble the Defender's 110 trim using imported knocked-down kits while 90 and 130 trims remain as complete built units.
JLR localization plan timeline
The company has been planning Defender localization for about a year and a half to benefit from lower import duties on CKD kits.
JLR sales ranking in India
JLR sold just under 6,000 cars in India in 2025, overtaking Audi to become the country's third-largest luxury car brand.
JLR to launch four EVs
JLR plans to introduce up to four electric vehicles including Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Range Rover GT and Jaguar Type 01.
German EV sales in India
BMW sold nearly 2,400 electric cars in India between January and June 2026, with one in four cars being electric.
JLR EV production strategy
JLR plans to import its upcoming EVs without immediate local manufacturing plans.
The essence
JLR will localize Defender production and introduce four EVs in India to counter rising German electric car sales.
