Up to 800,000 Pirelli-branded tyres by 2030 in a new BKT plant, with a 50-50 joint venture envisaged in a second phase
BKT is best known to readers of this magazine for tyres that work in fields, quarries, mines and construction sites. Its latest agreement points somewhere else entirely. Balkrishna Industries (BKT) and Pirelli have signed a strategic agreement under which BKT will produce up to 800,000 Pirelli-branded premium car tyres in India by 2030.
Two phases
The first phase is an off-take agreement. BKT will manufacture the tyres in one of its own newly built plants, equipped with advanced technology and working to Pirelli’s specific technological and quality standards.
The second phase, subject to certain conditions, envisages a 50-50 joint venture and the construction of a production plant dedicated to high-value car tyres. That plant would make tyres under both the Pirelli and BKT brands for India and other international markets.
Why India, and why now
The companies point to the growth of the Indian car market, with registrations estimated to rise by 5 to 7 percent a year between 2025 and 2030, and to a premium car tyre market expected to grow almost fivefold.
For Pirelli, which has so far had only a commercial presence in India, the agreement is a step towards a stronger position in the high-value segment where it focuses. For BKT, it supports the company’s recently announced expansion into passenger car tyres.
“When a globally established brand such as Pirelli chooses BKT, it is a recognition of the manufacturing strength, quality and expertise we have built over decades,” said Rajiv Poddar, Joint Managing Director of BKT. “We are proud to bring our industrial scale to this partnership and to serve customers not only in India but also across our international markets.”
Marco Tronchetti Provera, Executive Chairman of Pirelli, described BKT as “a first-class industrial partner with solid roots in India and a significant international presence.”
What it means for BKT’s core business
BKT today offers more than 3,600 products for agriculture, industrial, construction, mining, earthmoving and material handling applications, sold in over 160 countries. The car tyre deal does not change that portfolio, but it adds a new pillar to a company that has built its reputation off the road, alongside its recently announced moves into two-wheeler and commercial vehicle tyres for the Indian market.
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