The story
Early operations
Fiat has a long history in the Indian automotive market, initially operating through licensing agreements with domestic automobile manufacturers. Premier Automobiles Limited manufactured Fiat-derived vehicles, including versions of the Fiat 1100, which later became known as the Premier Padmini. The company also manufactured the Premier 118NE, a vehicle based on the Fiat 124 but equipped with a Nissan engine.
During the 1990s, Fiat expanded its direct involvement in the Indian passenger vehicle market. The Fiat Uno was launched in India in April 1996 through Premier Automobiles. Fiat subsequently introduced other passenger cars, including the Fiat Palio, as part of its efforts to establish a broader presence in the Indian market.
Fiat–Tata partnership
In March 2006, Fiat and Tata Motors began collaborating on the distribution of Fiat-branded passenger cars through Tata's dealership network. On 14 December 2006, the companies announced an industrial joint venture to manufacture passenger vehicles, engines and transmissions at Fiat's existing facility in Ranjangaon, Maharashtra.
The manufacturing venture was structured as a partnership between Fiat and Tata Motors, with both companies participating equally in its management. The Ranjangaon facility was designed to manufacture more than 100,000 passenger cars and 200,000 engines and transmissions annually at full capacity. The project included production of vehicles for both domestic and international markets.
The plant began operations under the joint venture in April 2008. It manufactured Fiat models including the Fiat Linea and Fiat Punto, alongside Tata vehicles such as the Tata Indica Vista and Tata Manza. The facility also produced engines and transmissions used in vehicles marketed by both manufacturers.
The partnership included the production of Fiat diesel powertrains, particularly the 1.3-litre Multijet engine, which was used in several passenger vehicles in the Indian market.
In May 2012, Fiat and Tata Motors announced plans to reorganise their partnership. Under the revised arrangement, responsibility for distributing and marketing Fiat-branded passenger vehicles in India was transferred to a separate Fiat-owned company, while their manufacturing collaboration continued. The companies subsequently signed a restructuring framework agreement in March 2013.
Expansion under Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Following the establishment of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) in 2014, the group's Indian operations expanded beyond Fiat-branded passenger vehicles.
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In 2015, the luxury automotive manufacturer Maserati returned to the Indian market, introducing a new dealership network and imported vehicles including the Ghibli and Quattroporte. The brand opened dealerships in major Indian cities, including New Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai.
In August 2016, FCA launched the Jeep brand in India with imported models including the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee. The company subsequently expanded its local manufacturing operations to produce the Jeep Compass at Ranjangaon.
Jeep manufacturing and exports
FCA invested approximately US$280 million to support local production of the Jeep Compass at the Ranjangaon manufacturing facility. On 1 June 2017, the first locally manufactured Compass rolled off the assembly line, marking the beginning of Jeep vehicle production in India.
The Ranjangaon facility became a manufacturing and export centre for right-hand-drive versions of the Compass. It supplied vehicles to international markets, including Japan and the United Kingdom. India joined Brazil, China and Mexico as one of the countries manufacturing the Compass.
The Jeep Compass was launched in India on 31 July 2017, with customer deliveries beginning in August. By September 2017, FCA reported receiving approximately 10,000 bookings for the vehicle, prompting an increase in production at Ranjangaon.
Discontinuation of Fiat passenger vehicles
During the late 2010s, sales of Fiat-branded passenger vehicles in India declined. The company's remaining passenger car range included the Fiat Linea, Fiat Punto Evo and related derivatives.
In February 2019, FCA decided to discontinue sales of Fiat-branded passenger cars in India following declining demand and changing vehicle safety and emissions regulations.
Production of Fiat-branded passenger cars ended in early 2019, although FCA continued to provide after-sales support for existing customers. The group increasingly concentrated its Indian passenger vehicle operations on the Jeep brand.
Production of the 1.3-litre Multijet diesel engine in India was also discontinued in early 2020, ahead of the implementation of Bharat Stage 6 emissions standards.
Stellantis era
On 16 January 2021, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Groupe PSA completed their merger to establish Stellantis, bringing together automotive brands including Fiat, Jeep, Citroën, Peugeot and Maserati.
Following the merger, Stellantis continued its Indian operations through the Jeep and Citroën brands, supported by manufacturing, engineering and research and development facilities.
In May 2022, Stellantis announced that its predecessor companies had invested more than €1 billion in India since 2015. The company identified India as an important manufacturing, engineering and export centre within its international operations.
The company's Indian product range expanded during 2022 with the introduction of vehicles including the Jeep Meridian and Citroën C3. Stellantis also continued to develop its Indian manufacturing and supplier network to support domestic production and vehicle exports.
In September 2026, Stellantis announced that it had acquired the remaining stake held by Hindustan Motor Finance Corporation in Stellantis Automobiles India Private Limited, giving the group full ownership of the manufacturing operations at Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu.
From Wikipedia’s article on Stellantis India, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.4