[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]After losing its early-mover advantage in one of India’s fastest-growing automotive segments, Renault is attempting something it has not done in years, reclaim narrative control in the Indian passenger vehicle market. Once credited with creating the modern compact SUV space with the original Duster launched in 2012, the French automaker saw competitors steadily outpace it on product cadence, technology adoption, and portfolio breadth. The result was a prolonged period of reduced relevance in a market that moves faster than most global OEM planning cycles.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Now, with the Indian SUV market more crowded and demanding than ever, Renault is preparing to re-enter the fray with the new-generation Duster. Now built on the new Renault Group Modular Platform (RGMP), the upcoming SUV is intended to anchor a broader portfolio reset, signal long-term commitment, and rebuild trust among Indian consumers and dealers alike.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Utkarsh Agarwal, Editorial Lead of BW Auto World spoke to Venkatram Mamillapalle, Managing Director of Renault India; Francisco Hidalgo, Vice President of Sales & Marketing, Renault India; and Stephane Deblaise, CEO of Renault Group India, to understand whether this renewed push marks a genuine strategic turnaround or merely another attempt at reclaiming past glory.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]The Stakes Are Higher Than Renault Publicly Admits
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]The original Duster did more than sell well, it rewired Indian consumer perception of what a compact SUV could be. Over time, however, that advantage evaporated as competition accelerated and Renault’s product cadence struggled to keep pace.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Venkatram Mamillapalle does not romanticise the past. Instead, he frames the challenge in present terms. “The customer today is far more informed and far more demanding. They are buying value, technology, and confidence in the brand’s future,” he says.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]That last word ‘confidence’ is where Renault’s India challenge truly lies. Questions around long-term commitment, portfolio depth, and execution consistency continue to shape buyer perception in a market where consumers increasingly expect global products without global price tags.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]The New RGMP Platform Changes The Game
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Unlike its predecessor, the new-generation Duster is built on the Renault Group Modular Platform (RGMP), a scalable architecture designed to support multiple body styles, powertrains, and market requirements. The platform choice reflects a deeper shift in how Renault plans to operate in India.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]“Renault Group Modular Platform is really super flexible. It allows for a lot of different combinations, body shapes and sizes. Our upcoming three models we have announced, including the C-SUV, will be based on this platform,” Mamillapalle explains.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Stephane Deblaise is equally clear that India cannot be treated as a derivative market. “Indian customers evaluate value very differently. They expect global quality, but they also expect products to be engineered for their conditions as per road, climate, usage, and cost,” he says.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]This thinking directly influenced how the new Duster was conceived. According to Deblaise, RGMP enables Renault to strike that balance. “The platform gives us freedom in design, in powertrain choices, and in how we respond to market feedback.”
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]For India, this translates into faster derivatives, higher localisation potential, better cost control, and fewer gaps between product cycles.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Duster As A Statement, Not Just A Nameplate
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Beyond engineering, Duster carries symbolic weight for Renault in India. “Duster was an icon in India. People have amazing memories. There is an emotional attachment to the name. It is a strong statement saying we are back. Renault is back,” says Francisco Hidalgo.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Mamillapalle echoes the sentiment, noting, “Duster has its own nostalgic brand…the children who were driven in Duster still remember it. Now they are also customers.” For Renault, that nostalgia is not being leveraged as a crutch, but as an entry point into a more mature, expectation-heavy market.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]A Rarely Asked Question, Answered Directly
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]In most OEM narratives, flagship products are wrapped in optimism. Renault’s leadership, however, allows room for realism.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Q: The new Duster is clearly central to Renault’s India strategy. What if it doesn’t succeed the way you expect?
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Mamillapalle doesn’t deflect the question. “Any product can succeed or fail. What matters is whether the company is prepared for both scenarios. We are not building a business that depends on one car alone. Duster is important, but it is part of a larger roadmap. If catastrophe happens, we have a Plan B. We have the hybrid solution coming in the next 9–10 months, followed by a C-SUV. So, there is continuous product lined up,” he says.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]He adds that Renault’s renewed strategy focuses on fundamentals that go beyond a single launch. “Dealer confidence, aftersales, localisation depth, and a clear pipeline, those are not dependent on the success of one launch.”
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]That statement matters because it subtly reframes Duster’s role from critical, but not existential.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Beyond volumes, Duster is expected to play a portfolio role. “With Duster, you attract a lot of people. Not necessarily everyone will buy Duster, but they will buy our other products. It creates walk-ins,” Mamillapalle explains. “With the 7-year warranty, you should understand the reliability and endurance of the vehicle. Otherwise, why will I give 7 years warranty and burn my fingers?”
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]That spillover effect is central to Renault’s strategy of lifting showroom traffic and reintroducing the brand into mainstream consideration.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Brand Trust: The Invisible Barrier
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Renault’s biggest obstacle in India today is not competition; it is credibility. Indian buyers have grown wary of brands that launch strong and then go silent.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Mamillapalle acknowledges this head-on. “Trust cannot be built through campaigns. It is built when customers see consistent actions like product launches, service quality, and clarity about the future.”
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]This renewed focus is reflected in Renault’s emphasis on aftersales, dealer network stability, and long-term visibility, areas that now weigh as heavily as product features in buying decisions.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Francisco Hidalgo: India Is No Longer Peripheral
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]From Renault Group’s global perspective, India’s complexity is finally being taken seriously.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Hidalgo is clear about why old playbooks failed. “India is not a market where you can simply adapt a global product and expect success,” he says. “You need to design with India in mind from cost structure to feature priorities.”
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]More tellingly, Hidalgo points out that India is now shaping Renault’s broader emerging-market strategies. “What works in India often works in other emerging markets. That’s why this market is strategically very important for us.”
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Competition, Dynamics & The Driving Promise
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]On competition, Mamillapalle strikes a confident tone. “Now I don’t need to think about competition. Competition has to start thinking about us,” he says, adding, “If I have to say what will make the difference, it is the drive.”
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]The emphasis on vehicle dynamics over feature lists reflects Renault’s belief that driving experience remains an underleveraged differentiator in the mid-SUV space.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Powertrain Pragmatism Over Ideology
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Renault’s approach to electrification in India is notably cautious, and deliberately so. “We don’t believe in forcing a single technology path on the customer. India will remain a multi-powertrain market for a long time - ICE, CNG, hybrids, and EVs will coexist,” Mamillapalle says.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]“The ecosystem is more important. If you bring a good hybrid technology, people will prefer hybrids more than EVs, at least for a while,” he adds.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Hidalgo reinforces this with product positioning. “With Renault E-Tech 160, it will drive better than any other car in the segment,” he says. Deblaise further notes that “RGMP platform allows flexibility for ICE, hybridisation, and electrification, depending on market readiness. That flexibility is essential for India.”
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]This pragmatic stance may lack headline appeal, but it aligns with market realities, uneven charging infrastructure, cost sensitivity, and region-specific usage patterns.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]India As An Export & Engineering Hub
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Renault’s India ambitions extend beyond domestic sales. “Today about 20 per cent of our production goes into exports. With FTA, Europe will definitely want to source from India,” Mamillapalle says.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]On safety and regulation, the alignment is clear. “BNCAP is more stringent. Everything will be cut and paste from Europe to India. If you want to export, you must meet European regulations,” he adds.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]The Final Test: Execution
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]If there is one risk Renault cannot platform its way out of, it is time. Indian consumers are moving faster than OEM planning cycles. Feature expectations evolve yearly, not per generation. The new Duster may arrive strong but sustaining momentum will require predictable and timely updates.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]Hidalgo acknowledges this reality. “Consistency matters more than occasional peaks. India rewards brands that stay present,” he says.
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]As Mamillapalle concludes, “We know expectations are high. Our focus is not just to meet them but to keep meeting them. We are focused on building a business that lasts, not chasing short-term volume.”
[color=hsl(0,0%,0%)]The new-generation Duster may well give Renault a strong re-entry into the mainstream SUV conversation. But what follows, the cadence, the derivatives, the support, will determine whether this is a revival or just a temporary resurgence. |
