Skoda Auto Volkswagen India is approaching the conclusion of a partnership agreement with the Indian industrial conglomerate JSW Group in the format of a joint venture with a 51:49 share ratio, where JSW will have a controlling stake, Automotive World reports. The Volkswagen Group management will discuss and possibly approve the agreement in Mumbai in August. A non-binding memorandum of understanding is expected to be signed over the next two months.
The goal of the company is to finance the development of the India Main Platform(IMP), an electric vehicle architecture based on Volkswagen's China Main Platform. IMP is adapted to Indian regulatory requirements, local suppliers, and localization needs. It is expected that it will become the basis for several electric SUVs of Volkswagen and Skoda brands. The partners can also discuss sales and marketing of the group's other brands in India, in particular Audi, Porsche and Lamborghini.
Volkswagen has been looking for a local partner for years. As part of the restructuring and cost reduction, in November 2025, the company reduced its planned investment in a dedicated Indian electric vehicle platform from 1 billion to about 700 million US dollars. As in the United States, the automaker is seeking to increase its share of the local market. In India, a previous attempt at cooperation with Mahindra & Mahindra failed, and Volkswagen's share has remained close to 2% over the past two decades.
