Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated Maruti-Suzuki’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV) “e VITARA” and lithium-ion battery production facility at Hansalpur in Ahmedabad district, calling the India–Japan partnership “Made for Each Other.”
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister said that electric vehicles carrying the label Made in India and travelling across more than 100 countries will be a matter of great pride. He emphasised that irrespective of foreign investment, when the hard work is Indian and production happens on Indian soil, it is truly “Swadeshi.”
At the Suzuki Motor Plant, the Prime Minister flagged off the e VITARA, symbolising India’s growing leadership in green mobility under the Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives. He also inaugurated the TDSG lithium-ion battery facility, which will produce hybrid battery electrodes locally. Around 80% of the batteries manufactured here will be made in India, reducing dependence on imports.
PM Modi said the launch coincides with Ganesh Utsav, marking a new chapter in India’s Make in India journey. He noted that thirteen years after laying its foundation stone, the Hansalpur plant has entered its “teenage years” and is ready to take flight with renewed energy.
Remembering the contribution of late Osamu Suzuki in strengthening Indo-Japanese ties, the Prime Minister said Maruti-Suzuki has become the brand ambassador of Make in India by exporting cars even to Japan. With EV exports starting today, this partnership will reach new heights.
Highlighting India’s advantages of democracy, demography and skilled workforce, the Prime Minister said every partner investing in India is part of a “win-win” situation. He also recalled how Maruti-Suzuki quickly developed a hybrid ambulance prototype in line with the ₹11,000 crore PM E-DRIVE scheme.
PM Modi underlined that clean energy and mobility represent the future, supported by policies such as industrial corridors, logistics parks, PLI schemes, and ease-of-doing-business reforms. He pointed out that electronics production has risen by 500% since 2014, mobile manufacturing by 2,700%, and defence production by 200%.
He called upon states to compete in reforms, governance and industrial growth, while noting Gujarat’s leading role in automotive manufacturing. He also spoke about India’s efforts in semiconductors and the National Critical Minerals Mission to secure rare earth resources.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel said Suzuki’s decision to manufacture hybrid electrodes and export EVs from Gujarat marks a golden chapter in the state’s industrial journey. He highlighted how Gujarat’s special investment regions have created a robust automobile ecosystem.
Japan’s Ambassador to India, ONO Keiichi, welcomed the development, saying EVs made in Gujarat will now reach over 100 countries. Suzuki Motor Corporation President T Suzuki also addressed the gathering, terming it a historic milestone.
PM Modi will soon visit Japan, further strengthening India-Japan industrial cooperation that began with projects like Maruti-Suzuki and now extends to the Mumbai–Ahmedabad Bullet Train.
-ANI