Is Bajaj Auto Indian? From 'Hamara Bajaj' to Owning a Stake in KTM
Chetak, Pulsar, Platina — Bajaj Auto is Indian-owned and family-controlled, and it builds bikes for KTM and Triumph too. Here's the ownership story.
For a generation of Indians, the Bajaj Chetak scooter was the family vehicle, and "Hamara Bajaj" was more than an advertising line. Later came the Pulsar, which made sporty motorcycles mainstream, along with the Platina, the CT, and the Bajaj auto-rickshaw found in cities across India and far beyond.
The short answer: Bajaj Auto is Indian-owned.
The Bajaj Group
The Bajaj Group traces its origins to Jamnalal Bajaj, an industrialist closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi and the freedom movement. Bajaj Auto grew out of the group's trading business in the 1940s, first importing and then manufacturing two- and three-wheelers in India.
Under Rahul Bajaj, who led the company for decades from the 1960s, Bajaj Auto became one of India's largest scooter makers during the licence-raj era, when buyers often waited years for a Chetak.
Who owns Bajaj Auto today
Bajaj Auto Ltd is listed on the BSE and NSE. The Bajaj family promoter group holds a majority, controlling stake, with the rest held by institutional and retail investors. Rajiv Bajaj is Managing Director. There is no foreign parent and no foreign controlling shareholder.
An Indian company with foreign brands — not the other way round
Bajaj Auto is one of the few Indian companies that works with European motorcycle brands as the stronger partner:
- KTM — Bajaj has been a long-standing major shareholder in the Austrian KTM group, and makes many KTM motorcycles in India for sale worldwide. In 2025, after KTM's parent ran into financial trouble, Bajaj moved to take control of it.
- Triumph — Bajaj partners with Britain's Triumph Motorcycles, making Triumph's smaller-capacity motorcycles in India.
Bajaj has also revived the Chetak name as an electric scooter.
The verdict
Bajaj Auto is Indian-owned — controlled by the Bajaj family, with roots going back to Jamnalal Bajaj and the freedom movement. It is the rare Indian company that builds motorcycles for European brands and holds a stake in them, rather than the reverse.
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Bajaj Auto
🇮🇳 Indian-owned
Bajaj Group · Control: India
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