Which is the richest car company in India?

Which is the richest car company in India?

Which is the richest car company in India?

February 20, 2026 in  Automobile Manufacturing Liam Verma

by Liam Verma

Indian Car Company Financial Comparison Tool

Key Insight: Revenue and market value don't always align with sales volume. High-value vehicles generate significantly more revenue per unit than low-cost cars.

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Company Comparison

Company Revenue (2025) Market Cap EV Sales (2025) Key Strength
Tata Motors ₹3.2 trillion
($38B)
₹3.1 trillion
($37B)
120,000
(All Indian makers combined)
Diversified portfolio (JLR, commercial vehicles)
Maruti Suzuki ₹1.1 trillion
($13B)
₹3.0 trillion
($36B)
< 10,000 Volume leader with 4,500+ service centers
Mahindra ₹1.4 trillion
($17B)
₹1.8 trillion
($22B)
~75,000 Strong SUV & EV growth

Revenue Calculation

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When you think about cars in India, you probably picture Maruti Suzuki on every street, Tata Motors in corporate ads, or Mahindra off-roading through rural roads. But which one is actually the richest? Not the most popular. Not the oldest. The one with the most money - the highest revenue, the biggest market value, and the deepest pockets.

The answer isn’t a surprise if you follow the numbers. Tata Motors is the richest car company in India. Not by a little - by a lot.

Why Tata Motors Leads the Pack

In 2025, Tata Motors reported annual revenue of over ₹3.2 trillion (about $38 billion USD). That’s more than double what Mahindra made and nearly triple what Maruti Suzuki brought in. It’s not just about selling cars. Tata Motors owns Jaguar Land Rover, which alone generated over $16 billion in global sales in 2025. That’s a massive chunk of Tata’s total.

Even if you strip out JLR, Tata’s domestic passenger vehicle business still outperformed every other Indian automaker. In 2025, it sold over 1.4 million vehicles in India - more than Maruti Suzuki’s 1.3 million. But here’s the key difference: Tata sells higher-priced SUVs like the Harrier, Safari, and Nexon EV. Maruti dominates with small, low-cost cars like the Alto and Swift. One unit of a Tata Harrier brings in 5x more revenue than a Maruti Alto.

Tata Motors also leads in electric vehicles. It sold over 120,000 EVs in India in 2025 - more than all other Indian automakers combined. Its Nexon EV is the best-selling electric SUV in the country. That’s not just a trend - it’s a strategic advantage. Governments and investors are pouring money into EVs, and Tata is positioned to cash in.

How Market Value Compares

Revenue tells part of the story. Market capitalization tells the rest.

As of February 2026, Tata Motors’ market cap stood at ₹3.1 trillion ($37 billion USD). That’s more than the combined market value of Mahindra, Maruti Suzuki, and Hyundai India. Maruti Suzuki, despite being the top-selling brand, sits at just ₹3.0 trillion. That’s close - but still behind.

Why the gap? Investors see Tata as a diversified industrial giant. It’s not just a carmaker. It owns Tata Steel, Tata Consultancy Services, Tata Power, and Tata Chemicals. When you buy Tata Motors stock, you’re partly betting on India’s entire industrial future. Maruti is a pure-play car company. It’s strong, but it’s narrow.

Mahindra, meanwhile, has a market cap of around ₹1.8 trillion. It’s growing fast, especially in SUVs and EVs, but it still trails behind in scale and profitability. Its revenue in 2025 was just ₹1.4 trillion - less than half of Tata’s.

Jaguar Land Rover in London and Tata Harrier in rural India side by side under golden hour light.

The Maruti Suzuki Myth

Many people assume Maruti Suzuki is the richest because it sells the most cars. That’s true - it sold 1.3 million units in 2025, compared to Tata’s 1.4 million. But volume doesn’t equal value.

Maruti’s average selling price per car in India is just ₹8.5 lakh. Tata’s is ₹12.8 lakh. That means for every 100 cars sold, Tata makes ₹4.3 billion in revenue. Maruti makes ₹2.8 billion. The math is simple: sell fewer, pricier cars, and you make more money.

Maruti’s strength is volume and distribution. It has over 4,500 service centers across India. But its profit margins are thin. It’s built for affordability, not wealth creation. Tata built for scale, innovation, and premium positioning.

What About Other Players?

Hyundai India sold 800,000 units in 2025. It’s strong in the mid-range segment with models like the Creta and Venue. But its Indian operations are just a fraction of Hyundai’s global business. Its Indian revenue was around ₹95,000 crore - less than a third of Tata’s.

Toyota Kirloskar made ₹78,000 crore in revenue. It’s known for reliability, not revenue. It’s growing slowly, focusing on hybrids like the Innova Crysta. But it doesn’t have the EV push or the domestic manufacturing scale that Tata does.

Byd India entered the market in late 2024 and sold 15,000 EVs in its first year. Impressive for a newcomer. But it’s still tiny - less than 1% of Tata’s EV volume.

Golden pyramid of Tata vehicles tower above smaller stack of Maruti cars, with battery and patent icons floating around.

The Bigger Picture: Why Tata’s Strategy Works

Tata Motors didn’t become the richest car company by accident. It made three smart moves:

  • Acquired Jaguar Land Rover in 2008 - turning a struggling British brand into a global luxury powerhouse.
  • Invested heavily in EV tech - building its own battery plants, charging networks, and software platforms.
  • Expanded into commercial vehicles - it’s India’s largest maker of trucks and buses, with over 30% market share.

While other companies chased cheap cars, Tata chased technology. While others stuck to small-town markets, Tata went global. While competitors waited for government subsidies, Tata built its own ecosystem.

Its R&D center in Pune employs over 7,000 engineers. It filed 1,200 patents in 2025 alone - more than any other Indian automaker. That’s not just innovation. That’s long-term value creation.

What’s Next?

Tata Motors plans to launch 15 new EV models by 2028. It’s building a ₹15,000 crore battery gigafactory in Gujarat. It’s also expanding its global footprint - JLR is now selling more in China than in the UK.

Maruti Suzuki is trying to catch up. It’s launching its first EV, the Fronx EV, in 2026. But it’s still playing catch-up. Tata has already won the race.

If you’re asking which car company in India has the most money, the answer isn’t about sales numbers or brand recognition. It’s about revenue, market value, innovation, and global reach. And right now, no one comes close to Tata Motors.

Is Maruti Suzuki the richest car company in India?

No. Maruti Suzuki is the best-selling car brand in India, but it’s not the richest. In 2025, its revenue was around ₹1.1 trillion, while Tata Motors generated ₹3.2 trillion. Maruti’s profit margins are lower because it sells mostly low-cost cars. Tata earns more per vehicle and has global assets like Jaguar Land Rover.

Does Mahindra make more money than Tata Motors?

No. Mahindra’s 2025 revenue was ₹1.4 trillion - less than half of Tata Motors’ ₹3.2 trillion. Mahindra is growing fast in SUVs and EVs, especially with models like the Scorpio-N and XUV400. But it still lacks the scale, global presence, and diversified revenue streams that Tata has.

Why is Tata Motors worth more than Maruti Suzuki?

Tata Motors has a higher market cap because investors see it as a diversified industrial group, not just a carmaker. It owns Jaguar Land Rover, leads in EVs, dominates commercial vehicles, and has strong R&D. Maruti is a pure-play passenger vehicle company focused on low-cost cars. Its growth is slower, and its margins are thinner. Investors bet on Tata’s future, not just its current sales.

Are electric vehicles helping Tata Motors become richer?

Yes. In 2025, Tata Motors sold over 120,000 EVs in India - more than all other Indian automakers combined. The Nexon EV alone accounted for 70% of India’s electric SUV sales. This isn’t just a side business - it’s a major profit driver. Government incentives, rising fuel prices, and consumer demand are pushing EVs into the mainstream, and Tata is the clear leader.

Could Maruti Suzuki overtake Tata Motors in the future?

It’s unlikely in the near term. Maruti’s business model is built on volume and low prices. That works for market share, but not for high revenue or valuation. Tata is investing billions in EVs, battery tech, and global expansion. Maruti’s first EV won’t launch until 2026, and it’s still unclear if it can match Tata’s scale. Unless Maruti completely reinvents itself, Tata will remain on top.

Liam Verma

Liam Verma

I am an expert in the manufacturing sector with a focus on innovations in India's industrial landscape. I enjoy writing about the evolving trends and challenges faced by the manufacturing industry. My career involves working with numerous companies to enhance their manufacturing processes. I am passionate about exploring the integration of technology to improve efficiency and sustainability. I often share insights and developments in the field, aiming to inspire those with a keen interest in manufacturing.