Renault ships first batch of India-made Duster SUVs to South Africa

Renault India has begun exports of the all-new Duster, shipping an initial batch of 750 SUVs from Chennai to South Africa as the French automaker looks to strengthen India's role in its global manufacturing and export network.

The company said the shipment marks the start of exports of the new Duster from India, with additional international markets expected to be added in the coming months.

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The move comes as Renault deepens its commitment to India as a manufacturing and engineering base under its "futuREady" strategy. The company has set a target of generating €2 billion in annual exports from India by 2030.

"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," Stephane Deblaise, chief executive officer of Renault Group India, said.

According to Deblaise, India is increasingly becoming a strategic part of Renault's global industrial footprint owing to its manufacturing scale, engineering talent and improving logistics infrastructure.

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"As Renault continues to expand its international footprint, India will play an increasingly strategic role in our future plans," he said.

The new Duster is the first Renault vehicle in India to be built on the Renault Group Modular Platform (RGMP), a flexible architecture capable of supporting multiple powertrain technologies.

Renault said the SUV has also received a five-star Bharat NCAP safety rating across all variants and powertrain options, strengthening its prospects in both domestic and export markets.