BYD Accelerates India Growth with Leadership Visit, New EV Launch

Chinese electric vehicle giant BYD is doubling down on its plans to grow in India as ties between New Delhi and Beijing improve.

Ketsu Zhang, BYD’s India Managing Director, is slated to visit soon to meet with government officials and check on the company’s local car manufacturing facility. This comes as India resumes issuing visas to Chinese citizens after a five-year pause, prompted by the pandemic and 2020 border tensions in the Galwan Valley.

With travel restrictions easing, BYD is bringing over senior managers and engineers to maintain equipment and restart training programs. This will help the company solidify its presence in India, a massive market with growing demand for electric vehicles. Already serving 10,000 customers, BYD offers models like the eMAX 7, Atto 3, Seal, and Sealion 7, making it India’s fourth-largest EV seller.

To appeal to everyday buyers, BYD is gearing up to launch the Atto 2, a budget-friendly compact electric SUV, early next year. Priced below ₹20 lakh despite a steep 70% import tax, it will go head-to-head with local brands like Tata Motors and Mahindra & Mahindra. BYD is also pushing for regulatory approval to import more than its current limit of 2,500 vehicles per year. A previous $1 billion plan to build a factory in India was turned down in 2023.

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India’s EV market is attracting global players. Vietnam’s VinFast recently rolled out its affordable VF6 SUV, built in Tamil Nadu, while Tesla is opening showrooms in Mumbai and Delhi, with another planned in Gurugram. As competition heats up, BYD’s latest moves show it’s serious about becoming a major player in India’s fast-growing EV scene.