Skoda expects to finalise its search for an Indian partner this year, global CEO Klaus Zellmer said on the sidelines of the new Slavia’s launch in Mumbai on Tuesday. “We are in discussions. I’m deeply convinced that our momentum can be much stronger if we have a local partner with strong roots…But I’m confident that this year we are going to nail it,” he added.
This comes a few weeks after we exclusively reported that Skoda Auto Volkswagen India (SAVWPL), which oversees both VW and Skoda brands here, and the JSW Group are in the final stages of talks for a manufacturing joint venture. We also reported that the two companies are likely to sign a non-binding memorandum of understanding within the next two months. Zellmer’s latest comments are the clearest sign yet that Skoda expects the partnership talks to be wrapped up in 2026.