Tata Motors has confirmed that it will begin assembling Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) vehicles at its Panapakkam plant near Chennai, starting February 9, 2026. The announcement was made during the company’s latest earnings call, marking an expansion of its luxury vehicle manufacturing footprint in India.
This development effectively marks the operational debut of Tata Motors’ Panapakkam facility. The Rs 9,000 crore plant, announced in 2024, is designed for an annual capacity of up to 250,000 vehicles and is expected to employ over 5,000 people once fully ramped up. While this capacity is far higher than current luxury-car demand in India, it leaves room for future expansion, including exports.
- Chennai plant to support phased JLR capacity expansion
- Expansion prompted by capacity constraints at existing facilities
- Pune to continue JLR CKD assembly for now
While Tata Motors has not officially named the models that will be assembled at the facility, media reports earlier in the day suggested that the Range Rover Evoque could be the first JLR vehicle to be assembled there. The company, however, has not confirmed this.
Capacity limits drive shift beyond existing plants
Panapakkam to start with assembly operations
According to Tata Motors, the decision to activate the Chennai facility is largely driven by capacity constraints at its current manufacturing locations. Managing Director and CEO (Passenger Vehicles) Shailesh Chandra said “Most of our plants are kind of running out of capacity, and in a couple of years, we need a full plot at Panapakkam”.
He added that the initial phase will focus on assembly operations, as other locations do not have adequate space for further expansion at present.
Pune plant continues JLR CKD operations for now
Current focus on expansion, not relocation
Currently, Jaguar Land Rover vehicles at Tata Motors’ Pune facility in Maharashtra are assembled via the completely knocked down (CKD) route. When asked whether production would shift from Pune to Chennai, Shailesh Chandra said clarity would be provided at a later stage, reiterating that only the start of JLR assembly at Chennai has been confirmed for now. The company did not confirm timelines for any relocation or addition of models beyond the initial assembly plan.
Richard Molyneux, CFO at JLR, reiterated India’s importance as a long-term growth market for JLR, even as the brand continues to trail German luxury rivals in annual sales volumes. JLR’s India volumes remain below five figures annually, well behind BMW, which is approaching 20,000 units a year. Management said it remains committed to strengthening JLR’s presence in India, supported by local assembly and capacity expansion.
