Tamil Nadu Inaugurates ₹9,000 Crore Tata Motors-Jaguar Land Rover Plant

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin inaugurated a ₹9,000 crore manufacturing facility for Tata Motors and Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) in the SIPCOT complex in Papapakkam on Monday. The greenfield plant, representing the first phase of a larger developmental plan, is poised to become a key manufacturing hub for both domestic and international markets.

The new facility is designed to produce a range of next-generation vehicles, including electric vehicles, for both Tata Motors and JLR. It is expected to generate 5,000 direct jobs. According to company statements, production will progressively scale up to reach the facility's designed annual capacity of 250,000 vehicles over the next five to seven years.

Speaking at the inauguration, Tata Group Chairperson N. Chandrasekaran hailed the efficiency of Tamil Nadu and called it a 'golden day' for the company. He acknowledged the state government's support in expediting the project, noting that the first vehicle rolled out within 16 months of the initial request. Stalin echoed this sentiment, expressing pride in Tata's trust in the Tamil Nadu government and emphasizing the state's commitment to fostering industrial growth. He also highlighted Tamil Nadu's position as a major hub for automobile manufacturing, including electric vehicles, noting that the addition of the Tata JLR plant further strengthens this status.

The plant's first vehicle is the Range Rover Evoque. The facility is also expected to be the first in India to fully manufacture a premium electric SUV, speculated to be the Jaguar Land Rover Evoque Electric.

The overall project in Ranipet is expected to create 5,000 jobs and is part of Tamil Nadu's distributed development plan, which aims to move high-tech manufacturing from Chennai to tier-two towns. The workforce for the new plant was recruited from across the state, utilizing local skill development initiatives. The plant incorporates several sustainability measures and has been designed to operate.