50 Korean parts makers join Chennai forum

One-on-one export consultation sessions at the 2026 Korea-India Future Mobility Partnering Plaza in Chennai. [KOTRA]
One-on-one export consultation sessions at the 2026 Korea-India Future Mobility Partnering Plaza in Chennai. [KOTRA]

KOTRA held the "2026 Korea-India Future Mobility Partnering Plaza" in Chennai, the hub of India's automotive industry, on Thursday local time, the trade promotion agency announced Friday.

The event featured B2B consultations, product exhibitions and networking sessions, and was organized as part of KOTRA's "2026 Promising Regional Trade Mission" program, which dispatches companies by industry to strategic markets. It was designed to support Korean firms seeking to enter the Indian market and expand exports to third countries.

India's automotive market posted record domestic passenger car sales of 4.7 million units in fiscal year 2026 (April 2025–March 2026). Passenger car exports also surpassed 900,000 units, a 17.5 percent increase from 770,000 units the previous year, cementing India's status as a key production base for global original equipment manufacturers.

Global automakers are responding by expanding their manufacturing capacity in the country, particularly raising the share of eco-friendly vehicles — including SUVs, electric vehicles and hybrids — targeting the European, Middle Eastern and Japanese markets.

Fifty Korean automotive parts companies participated in the consultations, discussing cooperation in key future mobility components such as EV electronic parts, thermal management systems and precision components.

On the buyer side, Japanese global automakers including Nissan and their tier-one suppliers joined for the first time, holding one-on-one procurement meetings covering parts and accessories needs from the research and development stage for vehicle models destined for export to the Middle East and Europe.

Korean participants held approximately 100 consultations with eight global automakers and tier-one suppliers. In the process, they laid the groundwork for follow-on business by identifying concrete R&D cooperation opportunities and signing nondisclosure agreements for further discussions on product sourcing.

KOTRA plans to follow up the in-person consultations with online sessions to improve the chances of closing deals.

A representative of one global automaker at the event said the company attended to source parts for new SUV-focused model launches aimed at expanding its market share in India. "We have high expectations for cooperation with Korean companies that have strong technological capabilities, especially as local production expansion and supply chain restructuring are happening simultaneously," the official said.

KOTRA President Kang Gyeong-seong said India offers a strategic position connecting the Middle East and Europe on the back of a solid domestic market, while also being well-suited for exports to right-hand-drive countries such as Japan. "We will actively support Korean parts companies in entering India's supply chain ahead of the curve and using that as a springboard to leap into global markets," he said.


eyre@heraldcorp.com