Saurabh Vatsa on Nissan India’s resurgence, Tekton, Gravite, and the roadmap ahead

One swallow doesn’t make a summer and Nissan Motor India Pvt. Ltd. (NMIPL) knows that only too well. After having the Magnite as their mainstay in India for several years, the carmaker’s plans have now taken flight with two new models, the Gravite and the Tekton. Nissan’s “One Car. One World” strategy of offering a ‘Made in India,’ product built according to global standards for international markets seems to be off to a fairly good start. Of course, as with all things automotive, the business does oscillate between months that are sluggish to months that show momentum, and at Nissan India things are no different. In this exclusive interview, Saurabh Vatsa, Managing Director, Nissan Motor India, tells us not only about the company’s learnings from the Magnite, but also about how Japanese DNA and engineering embody every Nissan vehicle, how EVs and hybrids continue to remain under evaluation, and what the new roadmap is all about. Read on… 

RT: After being a single car company in India for several years, there is now a flurry of activity at Nissan, with two new launches and more scheduled in the pipeline. Suddenly, things are looking up. What has changed within Nissan, and what is driving this renewed momentum in India?

SV: What has changed is the scale of Nissan’s ambition and execution in India. Nissan is now executing its resurgence strategy with a clear product roadmap, stronger market coverage and a significantly larger role for India within its global operations.

The renewed product offensive began with GRAVITE, followed by TEKTON, and will continue with the upcoming 7-seater C-SUV. This is taking Nissan from one segment product to a much broader presence in the Indian market. With the launch of the TEKTON, Nissan is now firmly in the resurgence phase of its India journey.

The network is expanding in parallel. Nissan added 54 new customer touchpoints in the first three months of 2026 across Tier 1, 2, 3 and 4 markets. At the same time, India is becoming increasingly important as an export hub for Nissan, particularly for the AMIEO region, creating scale beyond domestic demand. 

The results are encouraging. Wholesales rose 98% month on month in March 2026 with domestic sales nearly doubled with the Gravite kickstarting the resurgence phase, while July domestic wholesales reached 4,518 units, up 218% year on year.

The momentum is being driven by a combination of new products, wider customer reach, stronger execution, export scale and a renewed long-term commitment to India.

RT: What have your learnings been from selling the Magnite, which has been Nissan’s mainstay in the Indian market for several years?

SV: The Magnite has given Nissan important learnings about the Indian customer, the market and the way the business needs to operate.

One key learning has been the importance of listening to customers and offering meaningful choice., Nissan studied the competitive landscape and recognised that Indian customers were looking for different combinations of price, features and technology. That led to a broader variant and price architecture, allowing the product to address customers across different price points. Dealer and channel partner feedback also became an integral part of decisions around variants, pricing and colours.

The second learning has been that a strong value proposition goes well beyond the purchase price. Magnite brought together aspirational design, segment first technology and safety features, space and affordability, supported by a strong focus on cost of ownership and customer assurance. This helped Nissan rebuild customer trust. 

Another key learning has been that a product developed with India at its core can also succeed globally. Under Nissan’s One Car, One World philosophy. Magnite has now reached customers in more than 65 countries, demonstrating the capability of India as a manufacturing and export hub for Nissan.

RT: You now have MPV customers as well as SUV customers. Give us a sense of what the two distinct sets of customers are looking for in their vehicles at those respective price points.

SV: Both customers have different priorities, although expectations around safety, quality and technology are common to both.

At the GRAVITE price point, the customer is fundamentally looking for an aspirational product with maximum utility and value for the family. Seven seat usability, flexible seating, space, comfort, ease of driving and economical ownership are key considerations. GRAVITE was purpose built around these needs, with flexible 2 to 7 seat configurations and a strong focus on everyday practicality.

The TEKTON customer is looking for a more aspirational SUV experience. Along with practicality, there is a greater emphasis on road presence, performance, premium interiors, technology and driving dynamics. TEKTON addresses this through Patrol-inspired design, Japanese craftsmanship, a 100% turbocharged range, benchmark driving dynamics and best-in-segment boot space.

So, one customer is primarily optimising family utility, while the other is seeking a stronger combination of aspiration, performance and everyday usability.

RT: You’ve just launched the Nissan Tekton with 12 variants, two powertrains and 11 colours. Is Nissan, the Japanese car company, going the Korean way by offering a wide array of variants and choices, rather than the relatively conservative approach that Japanese manufacturers have traditionally excelled at?

SV: With the TEKTON, our approach was to deliver what the Indian customer expects today. Customers are increasingly clear about the features, performance, technology and personalisation they want, and the TEKTON range has been structured to give them meaningful choice across price points.

Importantly, that choice is not limited to the top end of the range. The T160 powertrain is available across the full six-trim line-up — from Visia and Visia+ through Acenta, N-Connecta, Tekna and Tekna+ — while across the two turbocharged powertrains customers can choose from three powertrain-transmission combinations: T160 with a 6-speed manual, and T280 with either a 6-speed manual or a 6-speed wet-clutch DCT.

At the same time, Nissan has not moved away from its Japanese DNA. TEKTON brings together Japanese craftsmanship and engineering with Patrol-inspired design, a 100% turbocharged range, benchmark driving dynamics and best-in-segment boot space.

The 12 variants and 11 colours therefore represent a more customer-led approach to choice, rather than a change in Nissan’s core philosophy. The objective is to offer greater choice while keeping the fundamental product proposition unmistakably Nissan.

RT: You had brought the Teana and Sunny to India in the past, while overseas you have sold successful models such as the Altima and the Maxima amongst others in different markets. When can we expect to see some of Nissan’s sedans in India again (despite the economics of the sedan segment not being very attractive today) … because not every customer desires an SUV.

SV: We have a strong sedan heritage globally and in India and interestingly, the Sunny continues to be manufactured in Chennai in significant volumes for export markets. For the domestic market, our immediate priority is to execute the product roadmap already announced and build scale with Gravite, TEKTON and the upcoming 7-seater C-SUV.

We have a rich global portfolio and will continue to evaluate different body styles based on evolving customer demand, segment potential and business viability. At this stage, however, there are no plans to announce a sedan for India.

RT: There are many enthusiasts who would love to see the Nissan Patrol in India. Can we see that becoming a possibility in the near future?

SV: Patrol is an iconic Nissan nameplate and India is a market we evaluate for flagship opportunities. 

RT: You’ve mentioned before that CBUs are an important pillar for Nissan. What are the models under consideration from the global portfolio that could be a great fit for India, while broadening your product portfolio in India? 

SV: CBUs continue to be an important pillar of Nissan’s India strategy because they provide an opportunity to showcase some of the best and most iconic products from Nissan’s global portfolio.

We are evaluating opportunities to bring select global nameplates to India, the company has a rich global portfolio and continues to study which iconic products could be relevant for Indian customers. We evaluate every opportunity based on customer relevance, business case, network readiness and regulatory fit. There is no specific CBU announcement to make as of now. 

RT: What distinguishes Nissan products from those of your alliance partner, Renault, with whom you share a manufacturing facility in Chennai, India, and have significant additional annual capacity available? How do you constantly ensure clear differentiation between the two brands?

SV: For Nissan, differentiation begins with what the customer sees, feels and experiences. Every Nissan is developed around its own design language, product character, technology, driving experience and customer positioning.

TEKTON demonstrates this clearly through its Patrol-inspired design, distinctive Nissan lighting signature, premium interior execution. The Alliance gives Nissan important efficiencies in manufacturing, platforms, localisation and scale, but Nissan and Renault maintain independent brand, product and customer strategies.

Customers choose a vehicle for its design, features, driving character, ownership experience and their emotional connection with the brand. Nissan’s focus is therefore on ensuring that regardless of the efficiencies behind the product, the end product has a distinctive personality and delivers Nissan’s SUV, performance and technology DNA.

RT: Nissan was the fifth-largest exporter from India in 2025, catering to both left-hand-drive and right-hand-drive markets. How do you plan to further expand Nissan’s export footprint from India?

SV: Exports are a key pillar of Nissan’s India strategy, and India will continue to grow as an important manufacturing and export hub for the company. Nissan crossed the 1.2 million cumulative export milestone in 2025, while Magnite is now exported to 65+ markets across both right-hand-drive and left-hand-drive markets.

The next phase is about expanding that success across more nameplates under Nissan’s One Car, One World philosophy. TEKTON and the upcoming 7-seater C-SUV have both been developed with domestic and international markets in mind. TEKTON will be exported to 50 markets, further strengthening India’s global role for Nissan. By the end of August, Nissan exported 1,000+ TEKTONs to South Africa, marking the next step in scaling the India export story.

RT: With Nissan’s product portfolio expanding, what are your plans for developing and strengthening the dealer network? And how do you intend to recognise and reward the dealers who have continued to support the brand and remained committed to Nissan over the years?

SV: Network expansion is a critical part of Nissan’s resurgence strategy and is progressing in parallel with the product offensive. Nissan added 54 new customer touchpoints in the first three months of 2026. The focus is also on strengthening capability through training, retail standards, service readiness and a consistent customer experience as the portfolio expands.

For Nissan’s existing dealer partners, the approach has been very clear. Every existing dealer has been offered the first right of refusal to expand within their region. This recognises the partners who continued to support the brand through the leaner years and gives them the first opportunity to participate in Nissan’s next phase of growth. The intent is to grow the network while also ensuring that long-standing partners benefit from a broader portfolio and a stronger business opportunity.

RT: Besides newer models and strengthening and expanding the dealer network what other plans are underway to help Nissan increase its market share in India?

SV: Beyond products and network, Nissan’s focus is on increasing brand consideration and strengthening the entire customer experience. Today’s customer is highly informed and much of the purchase decision is made before they enter a showroom, so Nissan is investing in more relevant, insight led communication and a seamless digital to physical journey.

Platforms such as Nissan One are bringing enquiry, test drives, purchase and service together in one ecosystem, while the Nissan AI Assistant is making product discovery more conversational, personalised and accessible.

The larger objective is to strengthen customer trust and deliver a consistent, premium sales and ownership experience. That combination of stronger brand relevance and customer experience will be an important driver of market share.

RT: Nissan has enjoyed considerable global success with the Leaf. What plans does the company have for entering the EV market in India, and how important is India in Nissan’s global electrification strategy?

SV: Nissan has been a pioneer in electric mobility globally, and that leadership continues with the all-new, third-generation Nissan LEAF, which was recently named World’s Best Compact Car by the Women’s Worldwide Car of the Year jury for its design, performance, intuitive technology and accessibility. 

For India, Nissan is taking a pragmatic and market relevant approach, focused on bringing the right technology at the right time. Any introduction will be guided by customer demand, affordability, infrastructure readiness and regulation. India remains a strategically important market for Nissan, and the company continues to evaluate multiple powertrain pathways, including EVs and hybrids, based on what is most relevant for Indian customers.