Maharashtra’s ambitions to build the next generation of large-scale smart cities have drawn interest from a major Southeast Asian conglomerate, even as India’s most expensive urban market remains firmly off its radar. Vietnam-based Vingroup has entered discussions with the state government to explore greenfield smart city developments across Maharashtra, signalling growing international confidence in India’s secondary and emerging urban centres.
Senior officials familiar with the talks indicate that the company is evaluating land parcels offered by the state, including sites around Pune, as part of a broader search for cities with large population potential and long-term scalability. Notably, the group has ruled out Mumbai, citing constraints linked to density, land availability, and redevelopment complexity. The focus, instead, is on locations capable of supporting entirely new urban ecosystems rather than retrofitting existing megacities. Urban planners say this approach reflects a shift in global investment thinking. Rather than entering saturated metros, international developers are increasingly looking to shape new cities where infrastructure, mobility, housing, and public services can be integrated from the outset. Maharashtra, with its strong industrial base, transport networks, and policy push for planned urbanisation, fits this profile. The proposed smart cities are envisioned as mixed-use developments combining housing, healthcare, education, commercial districts, and electric mobility infrastructure. Industry experts note that such models, when executed well, can reduce commute times, lower per-capita emissions, and improve quality of life by aligning land use with transport and energy systems. However, they caution that governance capacity, water security, and affordable housing provision will be critical to avoid creating exclusive enclaves detached from regional realities.
Vingroup’s interest in Maharashtra also reflects its broader India strategy. The conglomerate has been steadily expanding beyond its core real estate operations into manufacturing, technology, and mobility. Last year, it committed multi-billion-dollar investments in southern India through partnerships covering industrial and infrastructure development, underlining its long-term intent to build a diversified presence in the country. Parallelly, the group’s electric mobility arm continues to scale its manufacturing footprint in India, with production concentrated in Tamil Nadu. Recent capacity expansions for electric buses and two-wheelers indicate an effort to localise supply chains and support India’s transition to cleaner transport. Analysts see potential synergies between future smart city projects and electric mobility ecosystems, particularly in reducing urban transport emissions and dependence on private fossil-fuel vehicles. For Maharashtra, the discussions come at a time when the state is reassessing how and where future population growth should be absorbed. With Mumbai facing acute land and infrastructure stress, policymakers have increasingly highlighted the need for alternative urban growth centres supported by mass transit, employment clusters, and resilient civic infrastructure.
Whether these smart city proposals move from discussion to execution will depend on land aggregation, regulatory clarity, and alignment with regional development plans. If realised, they could help redefine Maharashtra’s urban map demonstrating how large-scale, planned cities might complement existing metros rather than compete with them.
Also Read:Â Raymond Realty Wadala Project Targets High Value Homes
Vingroup Explores Maharashtra Smart Cities Expansion
