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Indea-new

Indian School for Design of Automobiles

As India strengthens its position as an unparalleled hub of technology, innovation, and economic advancement, the Indian automotive sector is poised for its next phase of growth driven by a strong post-pandemic revival, evolving consumer tastes and the need for sustainable mobility solutions. A critical component to realise the auto sector’s role as an enabler for our nation’s leap to become a $5 trillion economy will be the capability to not only ‘Make in India’ but also ‘Design in India’ through highly skilled design talent. Recognising this need, XLRI, in association with XLRI alum and automobile industry expert Avik Chattopadhyay, announced the creation of the Indian School for Design of Automobiles (INDEA) on March 4, 2024.

Once operational, INDEA will be a first-of-its-kind dedicated finishing school for automobile design in India

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The groundbreaking and foundation stone ceremony for the INDEA campus was took place on 16 June, 2025 at the hands of Shri Nitin Gadkari, Hon’ble Minister for Road Transport and Highways, India.

The foundation pillar titled Param—a Sanskrit word meaning supreme, highest, or ultimate—marks the beginning of a pioneering hub for innovation and excellence.

The upcoming INDEA Building will be housed within the 45-acre XLRI Delhi-NCR campus, offering a fully residential, sustainable ecosystem designed to promote collaboration and interaction between the existing MBA program and the Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Venture Development (IEV) cohorts.

Construction for the new INDEA building commenced in August 2025.

INDEA will have a full-fledged working design studio, facilitating sketching, design, one-to-one clay modelling, and prototyping, supported by the latest equipment and software.

The academic framework of INDEA is built on three core pillars:

  • Balance of intuition and industrial knowledge
  • Rich industry interface
  • Exposure to global thought and application

In line with this vision, the curriculum incorporates critical domains such as research, behavioural studies, consumer insight, anthropology, project planning, and cost management. It has been co-created with practising industry experts, ensuring continuous feedback and relevance to real-world needs. The curriculum has also undergone peer review by experts at leading global institutions, such as Istituto Europeo di Design (IED) and ArtCenter College of Design, to maintain an international orientation. The flagship offering will be an AICTE-certified Master’s in Automobile Design and Management, combining studio-based work, classroom instruction, and live industry projects to deliver a balanced and mature learning experience. In addition to the flagship post-graduate programme, the institute will conduct refresher courses for practising designers and induction programmes tailored for senior industry executives.

It is worthwhile to note that since inception the institute has onboarded leading figures from the automotive design and development world as visiting faculty, bringing international perspectives and contemporary industry practices into the classroom. INDEA’s teaching will be led by a core team of ten experienced faculty members with extensive industry backgrounds, complemented by globally acclaimed design leaders and subject-matter experts who will bring diverse perspectives to the classroom.

On 16 December, 2024, INDEA successfully hosted first edition of the annual INDEA Debate at the India Habitat Centre in New Delhi. The event provided a platform for leading minds from automotive design and design management to discuss and shape the future of mobility design. The debut year’s topic, ‘Does India Need a Design DNA’?, focused on the need for a distinctive automotive design language rooted in Indian culture, heritage, and ethos. As India continues to rise as a global automotive hub, the debates addressed the need for the country to carve its own identity in the world of automotive design.

The debut debate was inaugurated by Shri. Sasmit Patra, Hon’ble Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha, Retd. Justice Indira Banerjee, 𝗗𝗿 𝗙𝗿. 𝗞.𝗦. 𝗖𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗶𝗿, 𝗗𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿, 𝗫𝗟𝗥𝗜 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗵𝗶-𝗡𝗖𝗥, and Avik Chattopadhyay, 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻, 𝗫𝗟𝗥𝗜 𝗖𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻 & 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗫𝗔𝗗𝗠) 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗔, marking a significant beginning for INDEA’s thought leadership initiatives

Closely on the heels of the annual debate, INDEA helped #DesignInIndia take root at the prestigious 𝗕𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗚𝗹𝗼𝗯𝗮𝗹 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 at Bharat Mandapam, participating with its own booth showcasing India’s rich automotive heritage with the 𝗦𝗶𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶 𝗕𝗮𝗱𝗮𝗹, a revolutionary three-wheeled car from the 1970s.Visitors to the booth also unleashed their creativity on the Wacom design tablet and generally elevated the booth to be the go-to destination for budding designers, automotive experts and industry leaders, all displaying an overwhelming passion for #Automobiles #Design and #DesignEducation. The booth was inaugurated by Mr. I.V. Rao, an esteemed automotive industry veteran and mentor to INDEA, and Mr. Adil Jal Darukhanawala, a pioneer in Indian automotive journalism & Founder & Director of #AdilsAutoZone.

Since its announcement, INDEA has received unprecedented media coverage and support with the media playing a crucial role in shaping the collective aspiration to build a future-ready mobility design ecosystem in India.