Vietnam’s Vingroup, whose electric vehicle subsidiary VinFast is rapidly expanding its presence in India, is exploring opportunities to develop smart cities across multiple states and is in discussions with the Maharashtra government, according to senior company officials.

The Maharashtra government has offered land in Pune, but Vingroup is evaluating cities with populations of at least 10 million for its smart city projects and is not considering Mumbai as a location, said Pham Sanh Chau, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Vingroup Asia Operations. The group is also assessing opportunities in other states.

Vingroup’s smart city model envisions integrated urban developments comprising residential housing, hospitals, shopping malls, schools and electric mobility infrastructure, similar to its Vinhomes Smart City project in Hanoi. The initiative reflects the group’s broader strategy of building large-scale, future-ready urban ecosystems.

In 2025, Vingroup signed a $3 billion agreement with the Telangana government to develop a long-term, multi-sector cooperation framework. Chau said the group’s engagement with India extends beyond the automotive sector, with plans to explore partnerships across multiple industries. He emphasised that Vingroup approaches international markets with a long-term commitment rather than a short-term business cycle.

VinFast India’s Chief Executive Officer, Tapan Kumar Ghosh, said the company’s electric vehicle manufacturing operations will be concentrated in Tamil Nadu. In December, VinFast signed an agreement with the Tamil Nadu government to expand its existing facility in Thoothukudi by 500 acres and invest an additional $500 million to manufacture electric buses and two-wheelers.

VinFast, which has moved swiftly to position itself among India’s leading electric vehicle manufacturers, has recorded sales of more than 1,000 units within the first four months of its launch. Ghosh said scaling up operations would depend on building a robust ecosystem and enabling infrastructure.

Looking ahead, VinFast plans to introduce three new models in 2026, including a multipurpose vehicle and a micro SUV. Vingroup’s parallel push into smart city development and electric mobility underscores its ambition to establish a broad, long-term presence in India’s urban and industrial landscape.