Tata Motors-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is set to commence completely knocked down (CKD) operations at its upcoming facility in Ranipet, Tamil Nadu, in early 2026. While the company was non-committal on the capacity or product plans, in a round table with the media, Tata Motors’ group CFO, PB Balaji, confirmed the development, stating, “As far as the Tamil Nadu plant is concerned for JLR, we are starting with the CKD operations. Over time, we will probably migrate existing CKD operations from Pune to Ranipet.”
However, sources in the know have said that the initial focus will be on moving local assembly of the Evoque and Velar SUVs (currently assembled at the Pune plant), with a potential capacity of 30,000 units per annum.
- Evoque and Velar expected to be first locally made models at new plant
- Second phase will see manufacturing of both JLR and Tata EVs
- Will be Tata Motors’ seventh facility in India
JLR’s manufacturing plans at its upcoming facility
Operations to commence in two phases: first assembly and then manufacturing
As part of Phase 1, 70 acres out of the 470-acre site have been earmarked for the CKD plant, which will have an annual production capacity of 30,000 units. While initial CKD operations will begin with Evoque and Velar, models like Defender 110 and Discovery are also under consideration for future assembly at the site, according to people in the know. Initial production is expected to begin at 500 units per month and will gradually scale up to 2,500-3,000 units. Line readiness is scheduled for completion by January 2026, added sources.
The facility’s long-term roadmap includes a second phase, with construction likely to commence post the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elections. The Phase 2 plant is expected to support production of up to 2,50,000 units annually and will primarily focus on EVs for both JLR and Tata Motors.
Balaji emphasised the flexibility the plant offers in the long run. “It is also a Tata Motors plant. As we step up volumes, we will require additional manufacturing capacity, and this location will be a key part of that plan.”
He further noted that the upcoming Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between India and the UK could support faster model introduction by allowing early market testing of new products without waiting for full CKD localisation. “This will become more relevant for the newer products that are going to come,” he added.
Tata Motors’ existing manufacturing plants in India
6 active plants across both CV and PV businesses
Tata Motors currently has six manufacturing facilities across India, each specialising in different vehicle segments. The Jamshedpur Plant in Jharkhand serves as Tata Motors’ flagship facility and largest manufacturing hub. Established in 1945 as the company’s first manufacturing unit, it specialises in medium and heavy commercial vehicles. It also handles in-house manufacturing of Tata engines. The Pune Plant in Maharashtra, established in 1966 and spread across Pimpri and Chinchwad, focuses on all variants of Tata engines in diesel and CNG options, with dedicated assembly lines for light commercial vehicles and passenger cars. The Lucknow Plant in Uttar Pradesh, established in 1992, specialises in designing and manufacturing modern buses.
The Pantnagar Plant in Uttarakhand, commissioned in 2008, serves as the production hub for small commercial vehicles like the Tata Ace and Magic, while the Sanand Plant in Gujarat, established in 2010, evolved from manufacturing the Tata Nano to producing popular hatchbacks like the Tata Tiago and Tata Tigor. The Dharwad Plant in Karnataka manufactures Tata’s Marcopolo buses for inner-city and intra-city travel, including the Starbus range for domestic and international markets.
Hormazd Sorabjee
Anurag Chaturvedi
