Foreign auto manufacturers in India step up manpower hunt in bid to drive expansion

India units of overseas automobile and component manufacturers have stepped up their search for manpower in the country to drive their expansion plans, said industry executives.

There is a 20-40 per cent increase in demand for specialised talent in the auto captives this year in roles such as engineering, research and design, and IT, they said.

Companies such as Renault, Volkswagen Group and Mercedes-Benz are among those looking to strengthen their India teams, said their country heads.

French automaker Renault, which recently announced substantial investments in India for the next couple of years, will add about 2,000 new employees in various verticals, said the CEO of its India operations, Venkatram Mamillapalle. “We recognise the strategic significance of India’s talent potential… the talent landscape here is pivotal in propelling Renault’s growth and innovation in the global automotive landscape,” he said.

Mercedes-Benz India is looking for a workforce with data analytics as well as ability to develop e-commerce channels, create back-end systems with data mining and data science, said managing director Santosh Iyer. The company plans to hire 15-20 per cent more candidates from campuses this year than it did last year, he said.

“For the captives that operate in the engineering research and design space, there’s a notable surge in hiring trends within the mechanical, electronics and electrical domains,” said Vijay Sivaram, CEO, Quess IT Staffing on Auto Captive Hiring.

Auto captives refers to the India units or capability centres of the multinational automobile companies in the country. Availability of talent and skilled manpower makes India an attractive destination for manufacturing as well as assembling vehicles, according to industry executives.

Volkswagen Group, which laid its electric vehicle (EV) foundation in India with a top-down approach, with offerings from in the high-end segments such as Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-tron range, is hiring specialists in emerging technologies.

“We followed a three-pronged approach – infrastructure, customer perceptions and talent readiness,” said Piyush Arora, managing director, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India.

The German manufacturer has been recruiting auto specialists in emerging technologies, such as battery electric vehicles, both within the group in India and across its network.

Magna, Marelli, Stellantis and Fisker are also among the ones looking for talent, according to data from Ciel HR Services.

This comes at a time when there is a big push towards electric mobility and India is positioning itself as a manufacturing hub for global automakers in green and sustainable transportation.

BYD, Citroën, Kia, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, Audi, Porsche and Jaguar-Land Rover have firmed up their EV launch plans for the next 12 months. This is expected to fuel not only hiring but also growth of the domestic EV market and make electric cars accessible to a wider range of consumers.

There is an increased emphasis on recruiting skilled professionals and the demand for expertise such as cockpit and interior design, infotainment, EV BMS (battery management system)/charging, ADAS (advanced driver-assistance system) and AUTOSAR (automotive open system architecture) is on the rise.

Hiring for mid-senior level roles is increasing as companies look to enhance their innovative potential, said Ciel HR Services CEO Aditya Narayan Mishra.