A major ‘Make in India, Make for the World’ campaign launched by the PM for Maruti Suzuki’s e Vitara

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the export of Maruti Suzuki’s first worldwide battery electric vehicle, the e Vitara, to more than 100 countries, including Europe and Japan, on Tuesday as part of his significant Swadeshi push ahead of Donald Trump’s additional tariffs going into effect. He also officially opened Suzuki Motor Plant’s localized production of hybrid battery electrodes.

At the inaugural event in Hansalpur, Prime Minister Modi declared a “new chapter” in India’s Made in India journey.

“From today, electric vehicles made in India will be exported to 100 countries. Along with this, hybrid battery electrolyte manufacturing is also starting today.”

Ahead of the inauguration, PM Modi wrote, “Today is a special day in India’s quest for self-reliance and being a hub for green mobility. At the programme in Hansalpur, e Vitara will be flagged off. This Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) is made in India and will be exported to over a hundred nations. In a big boost to our battery ecosystem, production of hybrid battery electrodes will also commence at a plant in Gujarat.”

Highlighting the establishment of TDS Lithium-Ion Battery Gujarat Private Limited in 2017, PM Modi said that for India to become a manufacturing hub for electric vehicles, “it was essential to also produce batteries domestically.”

PM Modi also opened a lithium-ion battery manufacturing plant established by Suzuki, Toshiba, and Denso, which significantly increased the output of batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles. PM Modi emphasized that the forthcoming holiday season should honor independence and encouraged people to choose Swadeshi products during his Red Fort speech and an event in Ahmedabad on Tuesday.

“This is the season of festivals. Now Navratri, Vijayadashami, Dhanteras, Diwali… all these festivals are coming. These are celebrations of our culture, but they should also be celebrations of self-reliance. Therefore, I want to reiterate my request to you once again that we must adopt a mantra in our lives: whatever we buy will be ‘Made in India’, it will be indigenous,” PM Modi said, as quoted by news agency ANI.

With the new facility inaugurated by PM Modi, the plant will manufacture over 80 per cent of the components and processes required for lithium-ion batteries, reducing import dependence and paving the way for exports.