Stellantis India has begun exports of the Citroën Basalt, flagging off the first shipment from its Chennai facility to South Africa. With this consignment, cumulative exports of Citroën vehicles from India to South Africa reach 10,000 units, signalling a steady ramp-up in the company’s export programme.

The milestone reflects the rollout of Stellantis’ Smart Car platform, conceived, developed and industrialised in India by local R&D teams for domestic and global markets. "With increasing volumes and entry into new international markets, Stellantis India continues to strengthen its export footprint, reflecting growing global confidence in India’s manufacturing quality, process discipline and cost competitiveness," the statement read. 

The company said the achievement highlights the export-grade quality of vehicles produced at its Indian plants, with the same standards applied to domestic offerings. The shipment forms part of a phased export strategy that runs alongside its domestic business. With volumes rising and new markets opening up, Stellantis is widening its export footprint from India, banking on cost competitiveness and process discipline.

How does this aid the company's India bet?

The addition of the Basalt to the export line-up marks a step forward for Citroën’s India play. Positioned as India’s first mainstream SUV coupé, the model has been developed with a focus on emerging markets and is now being deployed for international markets. Built on a highly localised platform of up to 95%, the vehicle is designed to meet both domestic and global requirements, aligning with Stellantis’ push for scalable, export-ready products.

“Commencing Citroën Basalt exports to South Africa strengthens Stellantis India’s position as a competitive manufacturing, quality-driven and sourcing base. As our export volumes grow, our focus remains on building a resilient and integrated ecosystem, from vehicles to components, delivered through a consistent and high-quality supply cadence. This milestone reinforces India’s expanding contribution to our global operations,” said Shailesh Hazela, CEO and Managing Director, Stellantis India.

The export push aligns with the ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ strategy, with the company positioning India as a manufacturing and sourcing hub. Growing exports are expected to support employment, skill development and the broader automotive ecosystem.