Japanese automaker Suzuki Motor Corporation announced plans to invest approximately $8 billion (700 billion rupees) in India over the next five to six years, aiming to boost production, launch new models, and solidify its leadership in the country’s rapidly growing automobile market.
The announcement coincided with the inauguration of Maruti Suzuki’s lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility in Gujarat. Suzuki’s chairman, Toshihiro Suzuki, said the Gujarat plant is on track to become one of the world’s largest automobile manufacturing hubs, with an annual production capacity targeted at 1 million units.
This facility will also be the production site for Maruti Suzuki’s first made-in-India electric vehicle (EV), the e-Vitara, which is set for export to over 100 countries, including key markets in Europe and Japan.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, present at the inauguration event in Ahmedabad, hailed the investment as a “big leap” for India’s ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ initiative. Modi emphasized that the move strengthens India’s position as a global manufacturing hub for electric and hybrid vehicles and underscored the strong partnership between India and Japan.
“The launch of this facility marks a new chapter in India’s mobility journey. We are poised to export electric vehicles to more than 100 countries,” Modi said. “This investment highlights India’s advantage in democracy, demographic strength, and skilled workforce.”
Suzuki’s investment also includes production of lithium-ion battery cells and hybrid battery electrodes, developed locally in partnership with Toshiba and Denso, supporting India’s push towards sustainable mobility and climate goals.
Industry analysts view Suzuki’s commitment as a sign of growing confidence in India’s automotive sector and a strategic pivot towards electric and hybrid vehicles amid rising global demand for greener transportation solutions.
