2025 Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Defender Set For Local Assembly In India, Price Drop By Rs. 20 Lakhs Likely


2025 Land Rover Defender

Land Rover Defender is set for local assembly in India, potentially cutting prices by over Rs. 20 lakhs

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR), a subsidiary of Tata Motors, is set to begin local assembly of its Land Rover Defender in India – a strategic move expected to bring down prices significantly and strengthen its foothold in the luxury SUV segment.

The Defender, currently imported as a completely built unit (CBU) from JLR’s manufacturing facility in Slovakia, is subject to steep import tariffs, resulting in a high starting price of Rs. 1.05 crores and climbing up to Rs. 2.79 crores (ex-showroom). With local assembly planned at JLR’s Pune facility, industry analysts anticipate a price cut exceeding Rs. 20 lakhs. This would make the Defender far more competitive, particularly in the sub-Rs. 1 crore bracket.

This initiative follows JLR’s successful localisation of the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models, which also saw steep price reductions and sales boosts after local assembly began in India. For instance, the ex-showroom price of the Range Rover Sport dropped from Rs. 1.69 crores to Rs. 1.40 crores (ex-showroom) post-localisation.

India’s increasing importance to JLR’s global strategy has been further underscored by the recently signed India-UK free-trade agreement. While the agreement slashes tariffs on CBUs from 110% to 10% within a quota, completely knocked down (CKD) units—which are used for local assembly—continue to attract a much lower effective duty of around 16.5%. This makes India an attractive base for assembly operations.

The Defender has emerged as the crown jewel in JLR’s lineup, posting record global sales of 1,15,404 units in FY25, making it the brand’s best-selling vehicle. Other strong performers include the Range Rover Sport (79,862 units) and the Range Rover (76,715 units). However, performance has been mixed across the broader portfolio:

  • Range Rover Evoque sold 44,240 units
  • Range Rover Velar declined by 18% to 23,787 units
  • Discovery Sport rose 9.3% to 19,593 units
  • Discovery dropped 20.7% to 14,433 units
  • On the Jaguar side, only the electric I-Pace remains in production, with 7826 units sold globally

In India, JLR saw an impressive 40% growth in total sales last financial year, with the Defender’s domestic sales surging by 90%. These gains helped the brand overtake Audi and secure third place in the luxury car market. The positive trend has been attributed to both price adjustments from local assembly and growing demand from high-net-worth individuals.

Despite strong performance in India, JLR faces challenges abroad. FY25 global revenue stood at £29.0 billion, with Q4 contributing £7.7 billion. Sales in Europe and China declined by 11% and 10%, respectively, while overall global sales fell marginally to 4,00,000 units. JLR’s EBITDA margin also slipped by 160 basis points to 14.3%.

Uncertainties loom in the North American market—one of JLR’s largest—due to ongoing trade tensions and possible new tariffs. The company has refrained from issuing forward-looking guidance while it monitors the global economic and regulatory environment.

Nonetheless, India remains a bright spot. The local assembly of the Defender, when launched, is expected to further fuel growth and reinforce JLR’s commitment to the market. The initiative aligns with broader trends among luxury carmakers adapting to regional manufacturing to manage costs, navigate trade policies and tap into emerging consumer bases.

With the Defender already leading JLR’s global sales, its more affordable, locally assembled variant could become a game-changer in India’s evolving luxury SUV landscape.

Land Rover Defender Octa Specs

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The post Land Rover Defender Set For Local Assembly In India, Price Drop By Rs. 20 Lakhs Likely appeared first on MotorBeam.



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