Indian car brands: Indian is one of the world’s largest automobile markets, with a mix of homegrown and foreign car manufacturers operating in the country. A very common question among buyers is: how many car brands does India actually have? Here is the list of Indian homegrown car brands, a few of which are operating well while others are barely active in vehicle production.
As of now, India has only a few major car brands that are fully owned by Indian companies. These include Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra, Force Motors, Hindustan Motors, and Chinkara Motors.
Among these, Tata Motors, Mahindra & Mahindra and Force motors design, manufacture, and sell a wide range of vehicles, including petrol, diesel, and electric models.
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These are the Indian homegrown car brands:
1.Tata motors: Tata Motors is one of India’s largest car manufacturers, known for a wide range of passenger vehicles, SUVs, and electric cars. In recent years, it has consistently ranked among the top sellers in India and has expanded production with new models like the Sierra and Punch, along with strong EV sales. Tata Motors is also strengthening local manufacturing, including new plants for luxury brand production.
2.Mahindra & Mahindra: Mahindra & Mahindra is a major Indian automaker best known for its SUVs and utility vehicles. It has also expanded into electric vehicles with launches like the XEV 9S. The company is growing its production capacity in response to strong demand and is a significant player in the Indian passenger vehicle market.
3.Force motors: Force Motors is an Indian automotive company based in Pune. It specialises in vans, multi-purpose vehicles, and components. It produces vehicles such as the Traveller and Gurkha SUV and also supplies engines and parts to global manufacturers while exporting products to several countries.
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4.Hindustan motors: Hindustan Motors, founded in 1942, was long one of India’s pioneering car manufacturers, famous for the Ambassador, which dominated Indian roads for decades. Production of its classic models ended in the mid-2010s, and the company has faced legal and operational challenges in recent years.
5.Chinkara motors: Chinkara Motors was a small automotive manufacturer based in Maharashtra that operated from 2003 until around 2016. It produced niche vehicles like the Chinkara Roadster and other sports cars, but it eventually disappeared after limited production and market presence.
Foreign brands operating in India
While India has only a handful of domestic car brands, more than 15 foreign car brands operate in the country. These include companies from Japan, South Korea, Germany, France, and the United States. Brands such as Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Toyota, Kia, Honda, Skoda, Volkswagen, and others manufacture and sell cars in India.
India has also seen the rise of new electric vehicle (EV) startups in recent years. Some emerging companies are focusing only on electric cars. Currently, India has three major homegrown car brands, along with several smaller or emerging manufacturers.
