BKT and Pirelli & Cie SpA have signed an agreement that will see BKT produce up to 800,000 Pirelli-brand tires by the year 2030.

The tires will be sold in India, which BKT and Pirelli officials say is "one of the most attractive automotive markets in the world, with car registrations estimated to increase by 5% to 7% annually from 2025 to 2030 and a premium car tire market seen growing almost five-fold."

According to BKT and Pirelli officials, the second phase of the agreement will involve the creation of a 50-50 joint venture and "the construction of a production plant dedicated to high-value car tires, both with the Pirelli brand and the BKT brand, to serve India and other international markets."

The agreement "represents for Pirelli a strategic choice, which allows us to significantly strengthen our position in a market among those with the greatest growth potential and to accompany its evolution, drawing on our competencies, innovation and positioning in the segments with the greatest value," says Pirelli Executive Chairman Marco Tronchetti Provera.

BKT Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Poddar says the partnership "brings together complementary strengths to capture the opportunities of a growing market while creating value for both companies."

"When a globally established brand such as Pirelli chooses BKT, it is a recognition of the manufacturing strength, quality and expertise we have built over the decades," says Rajiv Poddar, BKT's joint managing director. "We are proud to bring our industrial scale to this partnership and to serve customers not only in India but also across our international markets. Pirelli's technological leadership and BKT's industrial capabilities provide together a strong foundation for lasting values."