Tata Motors said consolidated net profit for the October-December quarter was 48.05 billion rupees ($770.53 million), compared to 16.3 billion rupees a year ago.

Analysts had expected an average profit of 33.89 billion rupees, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

British luxury carmaker JLR , which Tata Motors bought in 2008, has been propping up profits at its parent for the past two years. ($1 = 62.3600 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Aradhana Aravindan; Editing by Miral Fahmy)