en.Wedoany.com Reported - Indian tire manufacturer JK Tyre stated clearly in its FY2026 annual report that the company plans to address challenges arising from recent geopolitical and economic uncertainties by focusing on premiumization, smart mobility solutions, manufacturing expansion, and digital capability building.
The company noted that while global trade volatility, exchange rate fluctuations, and input cost pressures pose obstacles, India's structural growth drivers still provide strong long-term opportunities for the tire industry. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman and Managing Director of JK Tyre & Industries, stated that despite optimism about the long-term structural opportunities in India's tire industry, recent geopolitical developments have introduced uncertainty into short-term economic and business prospects, but the company is fully capable of addressing these challenges.
Premiumization has been established as a key strategic area for FY2026. The company revealed that its domestic passenger car radial (PCR) premium product portfolio currently accounts for 30%, with a target to increase this to 40% in the coming years. As part of this strategy, JK Tyre launched the UX Royale smart tire series, which incorporates sensors designed to enable smarter, safer, and more connected mobility.
In terms of manufacturing and digital transformation, the company is heavily investing in AI-driven manufacturing, digitalization, and productivity enhancement. Anshuman Singhania, Managing Director of JK Tyre & Industries, introduced that the company's smart factory roadmap has steadily progressed through the stages of connectivity and intelligence, supported by IoT, AI and machine learning, dashboards, and data layer creation. The New Delhi-based company has increased capacity through the expansion of passenger car radial tires at Banmore, enhancement of truck and bus radial tires at Laksar, and the addition of all-steel radial tires. Anshuman Singhania added that capacity ramp-up of commissioned assets, combined with bottleneck elimination, process optimization, and AI-driven productivity initiatives, has collectively driven output improvement and enhanced responsiveness across all categories.
The company stated it remains committed to optimizing mature assets, improving product mix, leveraging premiumization and electric vehicle-related product lines, enhancing digitalization and manufacturing excellence, and deepening customer engagement. Anshuman Singhania emphasized that while input costs, exchange rate fluctuations, regulatory, and global trade uncertainties require vigilance, the company's strategic focus remains clear, and its capabilities are stronger than ever.
