VinFast Lines Up Big India Plans

Firm's Tamil Nadu plant to start production today; dealers see spike in customer interest

- SHINE JACOB

From Shimla in the north to Kochi in the south, a wave of 'curiosity' seems to be driving footfalls to VinFast India's dealership doors.

As the Vietnamese giant gears up to start production at its Thoothukudi unit in Tamil Nadu from Monday, dealers said its premium electric SUVs—VF6 and VF7—have seen interest from all over the country.

Amid the media attention over its rival Tesla, industry experts said that VinFast is one of the most calculated entries by a foreign automobile company in India during the last six years. It is after South Korean major Kia and Chinese state-owned carmaker MG Motor's entry in 2019. However, what makes VinFast's debut special is its line-up of retail outlets panning across the country, in addition to its foray into charging infrastructure through subsidiary VinGreen.

"In Himachal Pradesh, curiosity over the products and their making is bringing us a lot of queries," said Rajinder Vashisht, managing director (MD) of Devbhoomi Group, who is planning to come up with three outlets in the state.