Saurabh Vatsa to take charge of Nissan India commercial ops in reshuffle

Nissan Motor India is gearing for at least three new vehicle launches between 2026 and 2027

Nissan Motor India has announced a key leadership transition as the company prepares for its next phase of operations in the country. From August 1, Managing Director Saurabh Vatsa will take charge of commercial operations in India, according to an internal circular reviewed by The Economic Times.

 

Vatsa will report to Leon Dorssers, senior vice-president and chief commercial officer for the AMIEO region (Africa, Middle East, India, Europe, and Oceania). The move comes as Frank Torres, who currently oversees the Indian business as divisional vice-president, prepares to step down.

 

The leadership shift comes at a time when Nissan is trying to rebuild its position in the Indian market, where it has seen limited activity in recent years.

 

No exit, only expansion: Nissan India

The leadership change comes on the heels of Nissan dispelling market rumours of an exit from India. The company reiterated its commitment to the Indian market and confirmed that it is going ahead with plans to launch three new models between 2026 and 2027, as previously reported by Business Standard. The line-up includes:

• A multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) in Q1 2026
• A five-seater SUV by mid-2026
• A seven-seater SUV in early 2027

 

Currently, Nissan’s domestic portfolio includes the locally produced SUV Magnite and the imported SUV X-Trail.

 

Nissan India export strength

Despite a limited product lineup, Nissan has posted encouraging sales and export figures. The company crossed 10,000 bookings for the new Nissan Magnite SUV in January 2025 and ended Calendar Year (CY) 2024 with 91,184 units sold.

 

For December 2024, Nissan reported consolidated wholesale dispatch of 11,676 units. This included 9,558 export units and 2,118 units in domestic sales. Exports saw a 72 per cent year-on-year increase from December 2023, and a 43 per cent month-on-month growth compared to November 2024.