In the early 1950s, the Tata Group, under the visionary leadership of JRD Tata, sought to bring the iconic Volkswagen cars to Indian roads. Discussions with Volkswagenwerk promised a groundbreaking collaboration—granting Tatas the rights to sell, assemble, and manufacture the “People’s Car” across South Asia (India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Myanmar).

A deal with Premier Automobiles seemed poised to transform India’s automotive landscape, with even Porsche's involvement on the table for defence vehicle contracts. Yet, despite the promising negotiations, the partnership never materialized.

Around the same time, TELCO (Tata Engineering and Locomotive Co.), another Tata venture, explored its own path into the car market through a partnership with Mercedes-Benz. In 1960, Mercedes was so pleased with TELCO’s quality that it was willing to let Tatas produce the DKW model in India.

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Sumant Moolgaokar, the architect behind TELCO’s growth, even gave six Mercedes-Benz cars to government officials to test for a year, hoping to secure permission for local manufacturing. Despite their efforts, the project was met with silence, and the government did not approve it.

For decades, Tata’s ambitions to break into the passenger vehicle market were hampered by government regulations, competition, and partnerships that never bore fruit. However, the seeds of those early efforts quietly took root.

Fast forward to 1988, a watershed year for TELCO. Ratan Tata was appointed Executive Deputy Chairman, signalling a new era for Tata Motors. The company launched India's first fully indigenous pickup, the Tatamobile 206. Unlike Tata's earlier attempts at collaboration, the 206 was completely developed in-house, a symbol of self-reliance. This was followed by the Tata Sierra in 1991 and the Tata Sumo in 1994, named in honour of Sumant Moolgaokar. These vehicles marked Tata’s successful entry into the passenger vehicle market after decades of trying.

But the crowning achievement came in 1998 when Tata launched the Indica—India's first fully indigenous passenger car. What began in the 1950s as a dream with Volkswagen finally materialized through Tata's relentless perseverance. The Indica, with its modern design and affordability, became a household name and solidified Tata Motors’ position as a pioneer in India’s automotive industry.

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Photo courtesy: Tata Central Archives.

Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.