Dubai's Al-Futtaim Group takes India's Ashok Leyland bus dealership for Qatar too

Dubai: An Al Futtaim Group business Famco has acquired the Qatar dealership for the Indian commercial vehicles brand Ashok Leyland.  This comes as Ashok Leyland – whose buses are extremely popular in the UAE, especially as school buses  – plans a major expansion in the Middle East and Africa.

This is the second tie up between Famco and Ashok Leyland, which is part of the Hinduja Group. Famco became its dealer in Saudi Arabia in mid-2024. For the Saudi operations, Famco won an award for the ‘fastest ramp-up to 1,000 units’.

For Al-Futtaim group, the latest deal continues its expansion into other Gulf markets. Recently, it bought a stake in the Saudi retail group Cenomi through a SR2.5 billion pact.

“We are also in discussions with Ashok Leyland on further market opportunities,” said Ramez Hamdan, Managing Director – Al-Futtaim Industrial Equipment. “The success of this collaboration (in Qatar) reinforces our shared ambition to expand and grow together across the region.”

Ashok Leyland, incidentally, also has an assembly line for its buses in Ras Al Khaimah.

“The GCC continues to see steady demand for commercial vehicles, driven by growth in infrastructure development, logistics, public transport, and urban mobility projects,” said Hamdan.  

“While each market has its own dynamics, the region is investing heavily in expanding fleets that are efficient, reliable, and cost-effective. For Al-Futtaim and FAMCO, this represents a clear opportunity to strengthen our presence across the GCC.”

As it is, Famco has an entrenched presence in the UAE’s commercial vehicles market, through a long-standing association with Volvo for its trucks. (Ashok Leyland is represented by another dealer in the UAE.)

In Qatar, Famco will sell the full range of Ashok Leyland’s commercial vehicles, including the Falcon and Oyster buses as well as the Boss and Partner light- and medium-duty trucks and Captain heavy-duty trucks.

"We also plan to introduce additional models in line with market conditions and customer requirements, ensuring a responsive product offering to support Qatar’s growing logistics and mobility sectors," said Hamdan.