JLR India starts local production of Defender, prices start from ₹99 lakh

A view of the Defender which was locally manufactured Defender at Pune. Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) India has announced the local manufacturing of Defender thus bringing down the price of the SUV in the Indian market by upto ₹34 lakh for the fully loaded top-end vehicle.At this price the company expects the sales volume to go up by 20%. In the last 3 and half years the company has sold 9,000 units of Defenders. In India, Defender will be available in petrol and diesel engines from 2.0-litre petrol to 3.0- litre petrol and 3.0 litre Diesel in X-Dynamic HSE derivative.The fully loaded, locally manufactured Defender X-Dynamic HSE range is priced from ₹99 lakh for the 2.0-litre petrol, ₹118 lakh for the 3.0-litre petrol, and ₹118 lakh for the 3.0-litre diesel, all ex-showroom prices.The fully imported Defender was priced at ₹1.13 crore for the 2.0 litre petrol; ₹1.52 crore for 3.0 litre petrol and diesel.’One can reserve the new Defender online at www.landrover.in or book at all 32 authorised Defender dealerships across India, with deliveries beginning from 15 November 2026. For the first time, JLR’s Pune facility will produce the Defender 110 exclusively for Indian customers. The vehicle will be on display within 10 days, top company executives said. With this announcement, India becomes the first market outside Europe to locally produce Defender.Global production will continue at JLR’s facility in Nitra, Slovakia, which remains the centre of excellence for Defender and will continue to manufacture global variants including the most capable Defender ever — Defender OCTA, Defender 90 and Defender 130.Lennard Hoornik, Chief Commercial Officer, JLR, said, “India’s appetite for adventure and modern luxury has never been stronger. Localising the Defender is a pivotal step in our ‘Reimagine’ strategy and reinforces our commitment to delivering the unrivalled breadth of capability to Indian clients.”“Manufacturing the Defender in Pune enables us to respond faster to demand while maintaining the tough, rugged engineering and reductive design that makes Defender an icon across the globe,” he added. Rajan Amba, Managing Director, JLR India, said, “This is a proud milestone for JLR India. The country has embraced Defender for its capability, versatility and unmistakable character. With more than 9,000 Defenders on Indian roads already, and as our highest-selling model, it has moved beyond an SUV to become a cultural icon.”“This decision to now manufacture in Pune reflects the scale of our ambition for India and our confidence in the quality and passion of our team and partners here,” he added. Published - October 27, 2026 02:00 pm IST