Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) has reaffirmed its commitment to India’s “Make-in-India” initiative by renewing its Wharfage Rate Agreement with Kamarajar Port Limited (KPL), strengthening India’s role as a strategic automotive manufacturing and export hub.
The agreement, formalized at Kamarajar Port in the presence of senior leadership and key stakeholders from the shipping and automotive sectors, marks a critical milestone in TKM’s global supply chain operations. It ensures continued, seamless export of Completely Built Units (CBUs) through KPL—TKM’s primary export gateway since 2012.
A Decade-Long Strategic Collaboration
TKM began its export operations through KPL in April 2012 with the shipment of 247 units of the Toyota Etios to South Africa. Since then, the company has scaled up significantly, exporting vehicles to 22 countries including South Africa, the UAE, France, Egypt, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. To date, over 180,000 CBUs have been dispatched through KPL, highlighting the strength of this long-term partnership.
Leadership Speaks
Yoshinori Noritake, Executive Vice President and Chief Technical Officer at TKM, emphasized the significance of the renewed partnership:
“Renewing this decade-long agreement with Kamarajar Port enables us to continue serving global markets from Indian soil with products of global quality. KPL remains a vital part of our export strategy, supporting our goal of making India a global hub for automotive manufacturing and exports. We look forward to driving innovation, efficiency, and sustainability in our logistics operations.”
Shri Sunil Paliwal, IAS, Chairman of Kamarajar Port and Chennai Port Authority, echoed the sentiment:
“Toyota Kirloskar Motor has been one of our most consistent automotive partners. Their growing export volumes demonstrate the strength of our shared vision. At KPL, we are committed to providing future-ready, sustainable port solutions to support the expansion of India’s manufacturing and export potential.”
TKM’s Growing Manufacturing Footprint
Toyota Kirloskar Motor, a joint venture between Toyota Motor Corporation (Japan) (89%) and Kirloskar Systems Ltd (India) (11%), employs over 6,500 people and operates across two manufacturing plants in Bidadi, Karnataka.
Plant 1 (Operational since December 1999):
Products: Innova HyCross, Innova Crysta, Fortuner, Legender
Installed capacity: 132,000 units annually
Plant 2 (Operational since December 2010):
Products: Camry Hybrid, Urban Cruiser Hyryder, Hilux
Installed capacity: 210,000 units annually
Other models include the Glanza, Rumion, and Urban Cruiser Taisor. Imported CBUs such as the Vellfire and LC 300 also form part of the company’s Indian portfolio.
The renewed agreement aligns with TKM’s long-term strategy of enhancing export efficiency and underlines KPL’s role as a critical logistics partner in India’s growing automotive trade. As global demand for Indian-made vehicles continues to rise, this collaboration positions both entities to capitalize on future growth in the sector.
