Kia India is reportedly planning to double the export of completely knocked down (CKD) vehicle units by the end of this decade.

The company plans to expand its CKD exports to Middle East and Africa.

This move is in line with Kia's long-term strategy to enhance its presence in the global automotive supply chain, reported CNBC TV18.

Since June 2020, the company has exported 1,00,000 units of CKD vehicles from its Anantapur manufacturing facility in Indian state of Andhra Pradesh.

For the current year, Kia India has set a target to export over 38,000 CKD units to various markets, including Uzbekistan, Ecuador, and Vietnam.

To date, the automaker has achieved a cumulative export figure of 367,000 units from India.

Kia India chief sales officer Joonsu Cho said: “India is a key market for Kia Corporation, serving not only as a strong sales driver but also as an emerging export hub. This milestone highlights Kia India’s commitment to manufacturing excellence, innovation, and delivering value to global customers.

“We are also grateful for the government’s export-friendly policies, which have played a crucial role in strengthening India’s position within the global automotive value chain. Looking ahead, we aim to expand our CKD footprint to the Middle East and Africa, to double our export volume by 2030.”

In April 2024, Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation signed a Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation with India-based Exide Energy as part of their electric vehicle (EV) expansion plans.

Hyundai Motor and Kia intend to localise their EV battery production, with focus on lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cells.