Renault return to Indian market leans on Renault Rethink strategy

Renault return to Indian market is not a quiet reentry. The French carmaker is openly admitting where it went wrong and outlining how it plans to earn back consumer attention in a market that produced more than fifty lakh passenger vehicles in FY25. After years of limited novelty and almost no fresh launches, Renault is now betting on a full rethink of its presence in India.

The brand once enjoyed early love from Indian buyers. The Kwid hatchback became an instant hit when it arrived in 2015, while the Renault Duster helped kickstart the craze for compact sport utility vehicles long before the current wave. Then, as rivals such as Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki and Hyundai doubled down on launches and features, Renault slipped into the background.

Why is Renault return to Indian market happening now

Francisco Hidalgo, vice president of sales and marketing at Renault India, is clear about what went wrong. The company stopped surprising its customers. For two to three years, Renault did not bring new cars or even substantial new features to showrooms. In a country where consumers chase the latest variants and tech updates, that pause proved costly.

Covid disrupted supply chains and planning, but the real shock came from the Russia Ukraine conflict. Russia is Renaults largest market, accounting for more than thirty percent of its sales there, and that business was shaken by war and European regulatory pressures. As global priorities shifted, India received less attention and less novelty.

Hidalgo now calls that lack of freshness the worst way to treat an Indian car buyer. In his view, Indian customers are demanding on four fronts novelty, visual freshness, feature richness and price. He uses the sunroof as an example. In a country with harsh summers, many people rarely open it, yet it has become a must have for buyers who see it as a symbol of value and modernity.

How does Renault plan to change the showroom experience

One of the most visible changes in Renault Rethink strategy will not begin on the road, but inside showrooms. Hidalgo believes that dealership spaces have felt cold and transactional, at odds with how people now research and buy cars.

Most customers arrive after hours of online research. They already know specifications, variants and price bands. So what is the best way to make a customer feel at home in a car showroom Renault wants to shift focus from hard selling to comfort.

The brand plans to reduce the number of vehicles on display so that the environment feels less pressured. The idea is simple if you are making a significant purchase decision, you should be relaxed enough to think clearly. Updated versions of the Triber and Kiger will sit at the centre of this new layout, supported by more welcoming interiors and warmer staff interactions.

Inside Renault Rethink strategy for India

All these moves sit under the Renault Rethink banner, the companys renewed plan for India. Hidalgo frames the choice starkly. In India, either you go all in or you do not go at all. Renault wants to show that it is here to grow, stay and develop its business rather than drift on legacy models.

To back that claim, the company has taken full control of its Chennai manufacturing plant from Nissan, giving it greater flexibility and focus on India specific models. It is working on new products for the market and reassessing how it is positioned in the minds of buyers, especially the perception that Renault is only about affordability.

Hidalgo argues that the brand once had a strong reputation for disruption and freshness. Somewhere along the way, those qualities faded. Recovering that identity is central to the comeback plan.

Marketing a renewed commitment

To signal that this is not just an internal exercise, Renault return to Indian market campaign will start with television, followed by sharply targeted digital activity. Mass reach will remind lapsed customers of the brand, while digital tools will allow more precise conversations with specific segments.

Whether Indian buyers are ready to welcome Renault back remains to be seen. But by naming its missteps and reshaping both its products and showrooms, Renault is trying to script a second act that feels less like a brief fling and more like a committed relationship with the market.

Follow Marketing Moves on Instagram and Facebook for industry insights, strategy breakdowns, and brand transformation stories.