New Delhi, Oct. 2 -- Sajjan Jindal-owned JSW Group has raced ahead of established players Tata Motors and Ashok Leyland to emerge as the lowest bidder for about 1,200 electric buses in a 4,054-bus tender, according to two executives aware of the development.

The order gives JSW a sizable foothold in a market dominated by established bus makers and newer players such as Eka Mobility and PMI Electro Mobility. The tender, part of the PM-eBus Sewa scheme, will see electric buses deployed across smaller cities and towns, giving JSW an opportunity to build a presence beyond its own plants and offices.

The win will add to the aggressive automobile expansion of the Jindal-owned conglomerate, which established its commercial-vehicle entity, JSW ...