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In a move that signals both a strategic shift and a renewed bet, Ford Motor Company on Friday confirmed it will restart manufacturing at its Chennai plant, four years after halting vehicle production in the country. The automaker will invest Rs 3,250 crore to set up a next-generation powertrain facility that will exclusively produce advanced engines for global markets.
The project — one of the largest fresh investments by a legacy US automaker in India following the post-pandemic exit cycles — is expected to generate more than 600 direct jobs, alongside hundreds of indirect roles across suppliers and logistics networks.
The move does not signal an immediate return of Ford cars to Indian showrooms. The company has not announced plans to re-enter the domestic passenger vehicle market, and executives have indicated that the Chennai facility’s output will be geared predominantly toward export programs aligned with Ford’s global powertrain roadmap.
The company halted production at its Maraimalai Nagar facility near Chennai in 2021, ending a 25-year manufacturing run amid accumulated losses and strategic restructuring. However, Ford retained a major technology and back-office footprint in Tamil Nadu, employing about 12,000 people in its global business services division in the state.
Friday’s announcement formalises Ford’s intention to re-enter industrial manufacturing in Tamil Nadu, first communicated through a letter of intent signed during Chief Minister M K Stalin’s US visit in September 2024. The company has since signed a memorandum of understanding with the state government to operationalise the plan.
In a statement, the company confirmed “plans for powertrain manufacturing at its Chennai plant, focused on producing all-new, next-generation engines…”
“Building on the letter of intent signed in September 2024, representatives from Ford and the government of Tamil Nadu signed a memorandum of understanding outlining the strategic direction that leverages India’s manufacturing expertise as part of the Ford+ plan,” the statement said.
The statement added that the newest program would complement Ford’s existing Indian engine facility, which currently produces and exports powertrains. “We are pleased to advance our plans and confirm the Chennai plant’s vital role in Ford’s manufacturing network,” said Jeff Marentic, president, International Markets Group, Ford Motor Company.
“We are thankful to the government of Tamil Nadu for its continued support as we advance these plans. This decision reinforces our commitment to leveraging India’s manufacturing prowess for future products.”
Ford said the engine lineup “will feature all-new technology,” though specifics on engine type and export markets will be revealed closer to launch. The plant is expected to have an annual capacity of 235,000 engines when production begins in 2029.
Tamil Nadu Industries Minister TRB Rajaa hailed the announcement as a vote of confidence in the state’s industrial climate. He said Ford’s return “will further energise the resurgent automotive sector of Tamil Nadu” and highlighted the state’s skilled workforce, infrastructure, and investor-support mechanisms under Stalin.
Rajaa added that the state remains committed to supporting Ford’s operations and enabling a smooth industrial rollout.
The return gains significance as Ford’s exit from vehicle manufacturing in 2021 was seen as a symbolic retreat by a major multinational in a fiercely competitive market increasingly dominated by Asian automakers. The company shuttered factories in Chennai and Gujarat, though it did continue service and parts support for Indian customers.
Site preparation at Maraimalai Nagar will begin later this year. Production will resume in 2029 – a long gestation period, reflecting the complex retooling involved in modern powertrain lines.
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