News Brief
India Set To Become Suzuki’s Global Electric Vehicle Production Hub With $8 Billion Japanese Investment
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Japan’s Suzuki Motor will invest Rs 70,000 crore ($8 billion) in India over the next five to six years, reinforcing the country’s position as its largest and most important market, as per a Nikkei Asia report.
The announcement came as Maruti Suzuki began commercial production of its first electric SUV, the e-Vitara, at its Gujarat facility on Tuesday (26 August).
Suzuki Motor chairman Toshihiro Suzuki said the plant, with a planned annual capacity of one million units, is set to become one of the largest automobile hubs in the world.
India will serve as the global production base for Suzuki’s electric vehicles, with exports targeted at 100 countries, including Japan and several European markets. The e-Vitara will compete directly with Hyundai’s Creta and Mahindra’s XEV 9e.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who attended the launch, described the venture as a “big leap” towards the government’s Make in India vision, while underlining Maruti as a symbol of strong India–Japan ties.
He reiterated his call for consumers to “buy only Made in India goods”.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is expected to unveil a 10 trillion yen ($68 billion) initiative to deepen economic cooperation over the next decade, spanning eight priority sectors such as mobility, environment, healthcare, artificial intelligence and semiconductors, Nikkei Asia reported.
Both leaders will also revise the two nations’ joint security declaration after 17 years, while advancing collaboration in cutting-edge technology.
Tokyo plans to expand official development assistance and support startups in India, while also encouraging the hiring of Indian engineers to address labour shortages in Japan.
With India producing 1.5 million engineering graduates annually, Japanese companies see the country as a vital partner in building supply chains, fuelling innovation and powering the next generation of clean mobility.
