Mahindra eyes EU expansion with left-hand-drive vehicles by 2028, banking on India-EU trade deal

Mahindra Thar Roxx Star Edn

• Mahindra plans to launch left-hand-drive vehicles in EU by 2028
• India-EU FTA offers zero-duty export opportunities for Mahindra
• Mahindra aims to expand globally with EU-compliant models and new pickup truck

Did our AI summary help?

Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M) is preparing to enter the European Union market in a meaningful way by rolling out left-hand-drive (LHD) versions of its mainstream vehicles by 2028, leveraging the opportunities created under the recently concluded India-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

The landmark trade pact, which seeks to gradually lower tariffs and expand bilateral market access, is expected to open up significant export potential for Indian automakers. Mahindra’s leadership believes the agreement provides a structural opportunity for India’s automotive sector to scale globally while safeguarding domestic manufacturing.

Balanced Trade Framework

Addressing concerns around the competitive impact of the trade deal, Anish Shah, Group CEO and Managing Director of the Mahindra Group, said fears of European imports disrupting the Indian market are overstated.

“There has been a lot of conversation around how this will impact us. But there are various European models in India today. That OEM cannot make them in the EU, pay the shipping cost to send them here, bear the inventory cost for that time period and have it cheaper than what they already have here. So, it doesn’t impact us from a competitive standpoint at all,” Shah said responding to a question from Moneycontrol.

He acknowledged that if the economy were completely opened up, there could be a risk of unused European capacity being redirected toward India, potentially affecting local plants. However, he emphasized that the government has struck a balance in the agreement.

“The government has balanced it really well. They opened up the economy to get more cars into India, but at the same time they have done it in a manner that European carmakers do not shut down plants in India. We want more manufacturers to set up plants in India. It creates a bigger ecosystem and makes us more competitive,” Shah added.

Drawing a parallel with China’s automotive dominance, Shah noted that scale is critical to competitiveness. “The reason China is more competitive today is because it has more scale and we want that scale in India.”

Zero-Duty Export Opportunity

Under the India-EU trade framework, Indian automakers stand to benefit from phased tariff reductions and potential zero-duty access for exports to Europe over time. Shah highlighted the scale of the opportunity for Mahindra.

“We have the ability to sell 2.5 times what is coming into Europe and do that at zero percent duty. That’s an opportunity that is meaningful to us, and something that we will take advantage of as time goes on,” he said.

This zero-duty window could significantly improve price competitiveness for Indian-made SUVs and utility vehicles in Europe, particularly as the EU transitions toward diversified supply chains.

LHD Rollout from 2028

While the opportunity is clear, Mahindra’s push into Europe will be phased. Rajesh Jejurikar, Executive Director and CEO of the Automotive and Farm Equipment Sectors at M&M, said the company currently has limited left-hand-drive offerings and will need time to build a strong EU-compliant portfolio.

“The EU trade deal will open up a lot of opportunities for us as we look at how we take Indian vehicles over a period of time to the EU. We yet do not have a lot of our models in LHD. It’s not something that we will be able to leverage immediately in the short run,” Jejurikar said.

He confirmed that by 2028, several of Mahindra’s mainstream models will be available in LHD configurations, forming the backbone of its European strategy.

“Over the next couple of years, we will have many of our mainstream models by 2028 coming out in LHD. We would have a more robust EU-based strategy,” he added.

In addition, Mahindra’s upcoming lifestyle pickup truck — showcased earlier by the company — is scheduled for launch in 2027 and is expected to be a strong export contender, potentially leading the charge into developed markets.

Long-Term Global Ambition

Mahindra’s EU plans reflect a broader ambition to transform from a primarily domestic SUV leader into a globally competitive automotive brand. With global-ready platforms under development and increasing investment in product quality, safety, and electrification, the company aims to leverage trade liberalisation to expand its international footprint.

As the India-EU FTA moves toward implementation, Mahindra’s 2028 LHD rollout signals that Indian automakers are preparing not just to defend their home turf, but to compete head-on in some of the world’s most demanding automotive markets.