Vietnamese electric vehicle (EV) giant VinFast has officially inaugurated its first Indian EV assembly plant in Thoothukudi, positioning Tamil Nadu as a potential South Asian hub for electric vehicle manufacturing and exports. The plant, built with a phased investment of ₹16,000 crore — including ₹4,300 crore in the first phase — was inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin, who highlighted that the facility was completed in a record 17 months.
VinFast Expands Global Manufacturing Network
The Thoothukudi plant marks VinFast’s third operational facility and fifth global project, reinforcing its ambition to become a leading global EV player. VinFast Tamil Nadu will initially assemble two premium electric SUV models — VF 7 and VF 6 — targeting India’s fast-growing EV market.
The plant starts with a 50,000-unit annual capacity, scalable to 150,000 vehicles per year, aligning with VinFast’s 2025 sales goal of 200,000 vehicles and long-term production target of 1 million EVs annually by 2030.
“The VinFast Tamil Nadu plant is a strategic milestone in our commitment to the Indian market. It establishes a strong foundation for sustainable growth and allows us to offer high-quality, competitively priced electric vehicles to Indian consumers,” said Pham Sanh Chau, CEO of VinFast Asia.
India as VinFast’s EV Export Hub
VinFast plans to develop Thoothukudi as an EV export hub, supplying domestic and international markets. Industry analysts suggest that the Tamil Nadu facility could significantly boost India’s EV ecosystem, attracting local suppliers and creating jobs, while intensifying competition with Tata Motors, BYD, and MG Motor in the Indian EV market.
