Kia India, an automotive manufacturer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati, committing an investment of INR 350 million over a five-year period from 2025 to 2029. The partnership focuses on enhancing academic infrastructure, promoting collaborative research, and supporting student development in automotive and industrial engineering.
As part of the agreement, Kia India will support the creation of a ‘Makers Laboratory’ at IIT-Tirupati. This facility will serve as a collaborative space where students can design and develop functional prototypes across disciplines. The initiative also includes internship programs with pre-placement offers for students, along with scholarships and financial assistance for M.Tech students based on academic performance and financial need.
“This partnership is not merely the signing of an MoU — it is the coming together of shared values and a unified vision for the future of mobility and engineering in India,” said Gwanggu Lee, Managing Director and CEO of Kia India. “By joining forces with IIT-Tirupati, we aim to nurture highly skilled engineers and technologists, equipped to lead advancements in sustainable mobility and industrial manufacturing.”
The agreement also includes provisions for international academic collaboration between IIT-Tirupati and universities in South Korea, enabling faculty and student exchanges and joint research projects.
“This initiative will provide our students with exposure to global industry practices, global learning opportunities, and advanced infrastructure,” said K. N. Satyanarayana, Director of IIT-Tirupati.
Kia India began operations in 2017 with the establishment of a manufacturing facility in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh. The company commenced mass production in 2019 with an installed annual capacity of 300,000 vehicles. As of now, Kia India has launched seven vehicle models and has dispatched nearly 1.5 million units, including over 1.2 million for the domestic market and over 367,000 for export. The company operates a network of 744 touchpoints across 329 cities in India.