Renault India has resumed vehicle exports to Sri Lanka after a seven-year gap, sending an initial shipment of 100 vehicles from Chennai port as the automaker rebuilds its presence in the island nation and expands the international role of its Tamil Nadu manufacturing base.
The shipment includes the all-new Triber, Kwid and Kiger. The vehicles were manufactured at Renault India’s facility in Oragadam, near Chennai, before being dispatched to Sri Lanka. The company said the move takes its international export footprint to 16 countries.
Renault India stopped exporting to Sri Lanka during the country’s economic crisis in 2019. Its return will be carried out in partnership with AMW Motors, one of Sri Lanka’s leading automotive distributors. Renault said the partnership would support its renewed commercial presence and provide the foundation for the next phase of its growth in the market.
“The resumption of exports to Sri Lanka is an important step in our international growth journey. We see significant potential to expand the reach of vehicles engineered and manufactured in India, while strengthening India’s role as an export base for Renault,” Francisco Hidalgo, Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, Renault India, said in a company release.
The restart links three parts of the automotive supply chain: production at Oragadam, vehicle handling and shipping through Chennai port, and distribution in Sri Lanka. Chennai and its surrounding industrial belt are among India’s established automobile manufacturing and export clusters, with port connectivity enabling manufacturers to serve overseas markets from southern India.
Renault India said it plans to broaden its vehicle offering in Sri Lanka over time. The New Duster is among the products slated for introduction, which would allow the company to participate in a wider range of vehicle segments as it rebuilds its market presence.
The company has exported nearly 200,000 vehicles from India to date. Its overseas destinations include South Africa and Saudi Arabia, alongside other international markets. The Sri Lanka resumption therefore adds to an existing export network rather than creating Renault India’s first international channel.
The initial shipment also comes as the company seeks to use its Indian manufacturing operations as a base for international sales. Renault India’s next steps in Sri Lanka will involve the rollout of additional products through AMW Motors, with the New Duster identified as one of the vehicles planned for introduction.
