Reuters reports that Ford Motor Company has inaugurated a heavily automated auto manufacturing plant at a cost of $1 billion in the western state of Gujarat to triple its exports from India. At the inauguration, Ford chief executive Mark Fields said, “India is very cost competitive, which is important particularly for small vehicles.”
The 460 acre factory, will nearly double Ford’s production capacity in India to 610,000 engines and 440,000 vehicles a year. It will make engines and compact cars such as the EcoSport, a small SUV, and the Figo Aspire sedan.
The Indian auto market, already the world’s sixth largest, is expected to grow rapidly. While sales rose just over 2% last year, industry experts project a 6 to 8% in the fiscal year beginning April 1. Ford expects Indian auto sales to more than double by 2020.
“India is going to be attractive as an export hub because of the low cost base, and also the expectation that when the dollar strengthens it will be favorable for exporters,” said an automotive industry expert quoted in the story
Last updated: December 26th, 2025
