JSW MG Motor India and Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWIPL) are in discussions to explore the possibility of sharing platforms, powertrains, and even investments, people familiar with the matter told our sister publication Autocar Professional. The initial feelers come at a time when several automakers in India are looking at shared vehicle architectures to manage high development costs, strengthen localisation and build scale for upcoming hybrid and electric programmes.

JSW-MG and Skoda-Volkswagen interested in partnering

Two industry executives said both companies have “signalled interest” in exploring whether a technical or commercial alignment could work. “These are very early interactions, not negotiations,” one person said, adding that the discussions are aimed at understanding whether there is enough strategic fit to take the idea forward.

Skoda-VW requires capital and local scale for new India strategy

What gives these exploratory talks particular significance is the context in which they are taking place. Skoda-VW has been actively scouting for an Indian partner for more than a year, and Autocar India had earlier reported that the group had engaged with the JSW Group to explore deeper cooperation for its India operations. Those discussions were driven by Skoda-VW’s need for capital, local scale and support for its next phase of product development, especially as the group prepared to commit to an all-new India-focused platform strategy, which requires an investment of around 1 billion euros.

Details on management structure

A three-way JSW-SAIC-Skoda-VW structure is understood to be one of the scenarios being examined at the exploratory level. Such a partnership has a clear strategic logic: Skoda-VW and SAIC have a long-standing partnership in China, making technology exchange and model sourcing easier.

People familiar with the matter said SAIC is “open to collaborative structures” to secure its long-term India presence, especially as regulatory and geopolitical pressures rise.

JSW-Chery discussions facing trouble over tech transfer and data access

This is particularly relevant as parallel discussions between JSW Auto and Chery have faced difficulties over data access and technology transfer – a reminder of how complex it can be for Indian companies to secure tech transfer rights from Chinese OEMs. Even as the JSW Group builds out its joint venture with MG Motor India, JSW is independently setting up JSW Auto, a separate entity aimed at launching its own electric car brand by 2027-28 based on products and technology from Chery.

A JSW-MG-SAIC-Skoda-VW framework, if it moves forward, would be among the most unusual cross-continental collaborations in India, combining European engineering, Chinese electrification capability and Indian industrial scale and market access under one umbrella.