Renault India begins Duster exports; first shipment to South Africa

Renault India, the wholly owned subsidiary of the French carmaker Renault Group, has begun exports of the all-new Duster, with a first shipment of 750 vehicles departing Kamarajar port in North Chennai to South Africa. The shipment marks the beginning of Renault India’s export programme for the new Duster, with additional international markets planned in the coming months.

Stephane Deblaise, CEO of Renault Group India, said, “The start of exports of the all-new Duster is an important moment for Renault India and a strong validation of the quality, capabilities, and competitiveness of our operations in Chennai. It reflects the progress we have made in building India into an integral part of Renault’s global industrial footprint.”

“India possesses all the fundamentals required to emerge as a leading automotive export hub: world-class manufacturing capabilities, engineering talent, scale, and a rapidly evolving logistics ecosystem.

As Renault continues to expand its international footprint, India will play an increasingly strategic role in our future plans. We remain committed to contributing to the country’s manufacturing ambitions and are working towards our objective of generating €2 billion in annual exports from India by 2030.”

The new Duster is the first Renault vehicle in India to be built on the Renault Group Modular Platform, a flexible architecture designed to support multiple powertrain technologies. It has also secured a 5-star Bharat NCAP safety rating across all variants and powertrains, further reinforcing its readiness for both domestic and global markets, the release said.