Vietnamese conglomerate Vingroup, currently developing a Rs165 billion (USD 2 billion) electric vehicle (EV) plant in Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu, is in talks with the governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to further expand its operations in India.

VinFast, the EV arm of Vingroup, plans to launch its VF7 and VF6 models in the Indian market before the upcoming festive season. “After surveying several states, we chose Thoothukudi due to its excellent logistical advantages, including proximity to both a port and an airport,” said Pham Sanh Chau, CEO of VinFast Asia.

The upcoming vehicle launches will mark Vingroup’s official entry into India—one of the world’s fastest-growing EV markets. “We view India as a strategic market and are exploring opportunities to scale our presence,” Chau noted. Discussions with Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are underway for potential facility development.

VinFast also aims to establish a strong dealership network across Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, where EV adoption is rapidly increasing. The company praised both the central and Tamil Nadu governments for facilitating swift progress, highlighting that construction at the Thoothukudi site advanced rapidly over the past 15 months.

Chau emphasised the historical and diplomatic ties between India and Vietnam, citing long-standing goodwill between President Ho Chi Minh and Mahatma Gandhi. “India’s current investment environment is highly favourable, and the timing for our entry is ideal,” added Chau, a former Vietnamese ambassador to India.

Founded in 1993, Vingroup has evolved into Vietnam’s largest private-sector conglomerate, with interests spanning EVs (VinFast), real estate (Vinhomes), hospitality (Vinpearl), healthcare (Vinmec), education (Vinschool, VinUniversity), and science (VinFuture). It has already established a presence in Indonesia, the Philippines, and the United States.

Through its social enterprise wing, the group allocates substantial funds each year towards charitable causes in health, education, and innovation—underlining its vision of inclusive, global growth.