India is a key pillar of the Alliance’s strategic focus on new growth markets. In March 2010, the Alliance inaugurated the Chennai plant, the first dedicated Alliance plant in the world with annual capacity of 200,000 units. The new Nissan Micra, a sub-compact model, was the first vehicle to be produced at the plant. The model is sold in India and also exported to more than 100 countries in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Today the plant also assembles Nissan Sunny sedans alongside Renault’s Fluence, Koleos and Pulse nameplates.

This March, a second line will open at the plant boosting its capacity to 400,000 units a year and putting the Alliance on track for a 10% market share in the world’s second-most populous nation by 2016.

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Last week, the Alliance confirmed the next step in its partnership with Bajaj Auto by signing an MOU to build an affordable four-wheel vehicle for India and other emerging markets.  Although this was an expected milestone in a single program, it also represents a larger more significant strategic direction for the Alliance: mobility for all.

The auto industry is probably better known for its intense competitiveness; companies finding more on which to disagree than agree. Trade associations such as the SMMT in the UK, ACEA in Europe and JAMA in Japan do create forums where automakers can debate areas of common interest and present a unified view on a specific issue.

Last year The World Economic Forum, best known for its annual meeting in Davos, helped to bring some of the major automakers together to make a unique but simple request to policy makers: we are ready to start working together to solve the environmental issues associated with vehicle transportation. Initially, the letter was signed by the CEOs of Daimler, Ford, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Toyota. Last month, the CEOs of Audi, Hyundai and Volkswagen added their names to the list, and we expect more to follow.

On Tuesday, May 25th Alliance Chairman and CEO, Carlos Ghosn, will be appearing at the Detroit Economic Club in Detroit, MI. The event, which takes place at midday at the Cobo Center in downtown Detroit, will be a discussion on topics  including the consolidation trends of the global auto industry, the growth and importance of emerging markets, the outlook for the industry post-crisis and the development of electric vehicles and their role in the future of mobility.

The Detroit Economic Club (DEC) was formed in 1934 as a non-partisan, non-profit organization committed to the discussion and debate of important business, government and social issues. The DEC continues to provide a platform for distinguished international dignitaries and business leaders, who represent the changing global environment.  The DEC is proud to have hosted every sitting U.S. President since Richard Nixon.