First half 2025 review - INDIA

For several years, Citroën has clearly stated its ambition: to reduce its dependency on the European market, its historical stronghold, and to become a truly global automotive player. This internationalization strategy, dubbed "Citroën goes global," is built on a logic of conquering new territories with high potential. At the heart of this plan, India holds a strategic position of utmost importance. The brand with the chevrons has made significant investments there to build a modern factory, not only to address the massive Indian domestic market but also to serve as an export hub. The objective is to supply neighboring right-hand-drive countries, particularly in Southeast Asia and Africa, thereby bypassing customs barriers and optimizing production costs. It is a bold maneuver that, despite a complex start, shapes a significant part of Citroën's future on the world stage.

A challenging start in the demanding indian market

The Indian automotive market, with 2,188,608 units sold in the first half of 2025, shows slight but steady growth of 1.29%. In this context of moderate growth but fierce competition, Citroën is facing headwinds. With 2,427 vehicles registered, the brand has seen a notable decline of 27.23% compared to the same period last year. This performance gives it a market share of just 0.11%, positioning it as the second-to-last brand in the country, just ahead of Jeep, another Stellantis group entity. A detailed analysis of sales by model reveals a tense situation for the "C-Cubed" program. The C3, the cornerstone of the offering, saw its sales decrease by 21.20% to 940 units. The electric version, the ë-C3, suffered an even sharper drop of 57.03% (523 units), while the C3 Aircross fell by 63.81% (334 units). Interestingly, the newcomer, the Basalt SUV coupé, sold 573 units, making it the brand's second-best seller. However, this figure, while higher than that of the C3 Aircross, is still struggling to create real momentum. Despite this difficult picture, it is essential to highlight that Stellantis maintains unwavering confidence in Citroën's potential in India. The group recently reaffirmed its support by announcing new investments aimed at doubling the size of the dealership network and continuing the development of the product range, a sign of a long-term vision that transcends short-term fluctuations.

Encouraging dynamics in Indonesia

A few thousand kilometers away, in Indonesia, the context is radically different, as are Citroën's results. The Indonesian market is currently in a downturn, with a significant decline of 9.6% to 390,467 units. It is precisely in this declining market that Citroën's performance is remarkable. The brand, which launched more recently in the archipelago, has recorded spectacular growth of 142.5%, totaling 645 sales. While these volumes remain modest in absolute terms, they allow Citroën to climb to the 22nd position in the market, surpassing established players like Nissan and Ford. This strong growth is partly explained by the novelty effect and a low comparison base from the previous year, which is typical for a brand in its launch phase. However, the most paradoxical and encouraging point is that, despite sales volumes being much lower than in India, Citroën achieves a higher market share in Indonesia. This initial success, even on a small scale, demonstrates the relevance of Citroën's offering and the success of its export strategy from the Indian factory.

In conclusion, if one only looks at the raw numbers, sales in India and Indonesia may seem marginal on the scale of Citroën's global volumes. However, this view would be incomplete. These results are the fruit of a deliberate "profitable growth" strategy, which favors a gradual establishment with controlled investments rather than a massive and costly offensive. Breaking into markets as complex and competitive as India is a marathon, not a sprint, and many prestigious brands have struggled and failed there in the past. The importance of the Indian plant, therefore, extends far beyond its local sales. It is the linchpin of a regional export strategy that is already bearing fruit, as evidenced by the dynamism seen in Indonesia. Furthermore, this industrial base allows Citroën to fuel its ambitions on other continents, notably in South Africa, where the brand has been designated by Stellantis as the group's "conquest brand." The road ahead is long, but the foundations are being laid to build sustainable and, above all, profitable growth far from Europe.