Renault Begins Exporting the New Duster from India
The first shipment of 750 units of the India-made Renault Duster has been dispatched from Chennai to South Africa.
Renault plans to expand the Duster's export programme to additional international markets in the coming months, with a GBP 2 billion annual export target set for India by 2030.
Renault has commenced exports of the India-made Duster, with the French carmaker shipping the first 750 units of the midsize SUV to South Africa. It is a milestone worth paying attention to, not just for Renault, but for India's growing stature as a manufacturing hub for global carmakers.
Renault already exports the Kwid, Triber, and Kiger from the Indian market to other countries, and the Duster's addition to that list marks a step up in ambition.
The Duster being shipped to South Africa is the India-spec model, which gets Duster lettering on the grille, along with different headlights, tail-lights, and alloy wheels compared to the international-spec model.
What makes this first shipment particularly interesting is that it also includes the limited-run Iconic Launch edition. This variant gets slightly revised exterior and interior design elements, making it something of a special first impression for the Duster in its new market.
While South Africa is the starting point, it is clearly not the finish line. Renault has stated that the shipment marks the beginning of its export programme for the new Duster, with additional international markets planned in the coming months.
The bigger picture here is one of strategic intent. Stephane Deblaise, CEO of Renault Group India, remarked that as Renault continues to expand its international footprint, India will play an increasingly strategic role in the company's future plans.
Deblaise also stated that the manufacturer is working towards generating GBP 2 billion, approximately Rs 25,000 crore, in annual exports from India by 2030. That is a considerable target, and the Duster's export launch is clearly one of the building blocks in getting there.
Renault has been exporting models from India since 2012, starting with the previous-generation Duster. In 2016, it began exporting the Kwid, followed by the Triber in 2019 and the Kiger in 2021.
Today, the French carmaker exports its India-made models to 14 countries across SAARC, the Asia Pacific, the Indian Ocean region, South Africa, and East Africa. The new Duster's export debut is the next chapter in that ongoing story, and if Renault's ambitions hold, it will not be the last.
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