Citroen says India will play a key role in driving the company's growth outside Europe as the French carmaker aims to make more than 30 percent of its sales beyond its home continent.

"India is probably one of the most competitive markets in the world. It's also a very promising market, with probably five million units going to be sold every year," said Thierry Koskas, Citroen Brand CEO in an interview with CGTN. "It's a great opportunity for Citroen to lead the strategy in this market."

The company, which established a brand in India four years ago, has just unveiled its mid-sized SUV C3 Aircross there, with an aim to secure a slice in a lucrative SUV market dominated by legacy players including Maruti, Hyundai, Tata Motors and Mahindra.

Citroen said the new SUV has been designed to cater to the Indian customers' needs.

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With the EU banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035, Koskas also said India could be the new driver for EV car sales for Citroen.

"What we can observe in India particularly, we started to sell an electric model three months ago and we have great expectations on the electric market," said Koskas. "Because the usage of the car is very much urban and suburban, that's absolutely perfect for electric vehicles. 

"Although the growth pace in different regions of the world is different, we will see sales of electric vehicles growing in general."

The recent price war in the EV industry incited by Tesla has resulted in a drop in the prices of electric vehicles, with Renault warning the U.S. group last week that the move would "kill" second-hand values of cars and send itself into a "spiral." 

Citroen, on the other hand, said it has no intention to enter any price war.

"It's very important that the customers recognize the value of the product," said Koskas. "Although we make small price moves, what really matters is to protect the residual value of the car. I also like to highlight that any car manufacturer has to be profitable in order to be able to finance the future of further development."

The French automaker also has plans in China. "We are successfully manufacturing and selling cars in China, particularly the model C5 X," said Koskas.

Citroen has a joint venture with the Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motor Group in the southwest Chinese city of Chengdu.

"The objective is obviously to continue the sales of these models and other models of the lineup," added Koskas.

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