Nissan Motor Co. is keeping its options open on partnerships in India, with CEO Ivan Espinosa indicating that the company is willing to look beyond its existing alliance with Renault as it works to rebuild its presence in the market. Speaking to Autocar India on the sidelines of the global unveiling of the new Juke and X-Trail Rogue in Japan, Espinosa said Nissan is not tied to a single partnership structure in India and could explore other avenues, including with Honda.
"We have a good partnership with Renault in India, but the beauty is we can explore other options too. So, like you, I too am wondering what we could possibly do with Honda in India," he said.
The comment, while exploratory, comes at a time when Nissan is already leaning on its alliance with Renault to anchor its near-term India plans. The company has outlined an ambition to produce and sell over 2,00,000 units, split evenly between domestic sales and exports, with around 1,00,000 units targeted for India and a similar number to be shipped out of Renault’s plant in Oragadam.
Nissan India line-up in the process of expansion
At the product level, Nissan has begun expanding its otherwise thin portfolio. It recently added the Gravite alongside the Magnite, and is preparing to launch the B-SUV Tekton, based on Renault’s Duster platform, for both India and export markets. This will be followed by a three-row C-SUV on the same architecture, giving the company a more rounded SUV lineup and helping it scale volumes.
That underscores a dual-track approach. In the near term, Nissan continues to depend on Renault for platforms and manufacturing scale. At the same time, it is leaving room to evaluate additional partnerships that could complement its capabilities, particularly in areas where it currently lacks depth.
Partnerships remain crucial to Nissan globally
Notably, in an earlier interaction with Autocar India on the sidelines of the Japan Mobility Show 2025, Espinosa had pointed to partnerships as a key lever in Nissan’s global strategy, even as the company avoids committing to any single structure. The latest remarks build on that stance, suggesting a broader, more open-ended approach.
For Nissan, India remains an important, if under-leveraged, market. The company has been operating with a limited portfolio, with the Magnite carrying volumes for an extended period. The upcoming launches are expected to address that gap, though the ramp-up is likely to be calibrated given the execution challenges involved in scaling from a single-model line-up.
Alongside products, the technology roadmap remains fluid. Hybrids, EVs and internal combustion engines are all under consideration, with pricing pressures in India shaping the eventual mix.
How a Nissan-Honda partnership in India could work
This is where a potential partner like Honda could fit into the broader picture. Honda Cars India is itself preparing a new wave of products under its PF2 platform, which is expected to support a range of powertrains, including ICE, hybrids and EVs.
In that context, any future collaboration, if it were to materialise, is more likely to centre around product sharing or rebadging opportunities rather than deeper joint development. Honda could potentially bring hybrid and alternate fuel technologies to the table, while Nissan, with its experience in EVs through models like the Leaf, could explore selective product-led synergies.
It is also worth noting that Nissan and Honda had, in the past, explored the contours of a broader global alliance. However, those Honda-Nissan merger discussions did not bear fruit, as both parties disagreed over business structure and control. Particularly, Honda wanted to make Nissan a subsidiary rather than an equal partner, which the latter did not find feasible. This suggests that while there is openness on both sides, alignment on structure and strategy remains a work in progress.
At this stage, there is no formal roadmap or discussion underway specific to India. Nissan’s immediate focus remains on executing its product expansion and leveraging its existing alliance.
Still, the messaging is clear. As it rebuilds its India business, Nissan is no longer looking at partnerships through a single lens, even as Renault remains central to its current plans.