Hansalpur, Gujarat – Ganeshotsav just got an electrifying twist. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi today pressed the accelerator on India’s green mobility journey by inaugurating Suzuki’s first Made-in-India global strategic Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), the e Vitara, from Hansalpur. And no, this isn’t just a local test drive—the car is already set to zip across 100 countries, from Japan to Europe, proudly wearing the badge: Made in India.
But that’s not all. Along with the shiny new BEV, the PM also powered up India’s Hybrid Battery Electrode Manufacturing in Gujarat, ensuring that the beating heart of electric mobility—the battery—will no longer be an “import-only item.” In other words, the EV revolution now comes with a desi charge.
🏭 From Vision to Vroom
PM Modi reminded the audience that this wasn’t an overnight success. The Hansalpur land deal for Maruti Suzuki in 2012—when he was Gujarat’s Chief Minister—wasn’t just about parking a factory. It was about parking the dream of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Today, that dream has rolled out on four wheels and an electric motor.
With a touch of nostalgia, he remembered late Mr. Osamu Suzuki, whose vision now has its legacy supercharged—literally.
🌏 India-Japan Bond: More Current Than Ever
Suzuki cars made in India will now be exported back to Japan, a reverse import that screams confidence. “The world will now drive EVs that say Made in India!” quipped PM Modi, positioning Suzuki as both a global player and India’s unofficial brand ambassador on wheels.
The PM also highlighted how India-Japan ties have always gone beyond business. From Gujarati hosts learning Japanese etiquette, to golf courses sprouting up for visiting executives, and now battery cells being co-developed—this partnership has more chemistry than a lithium-ion lab.
🔋 Batteries Not Included? Not Anymore
India once imported 100% of its EV batteries. Today, thanks to TDSG’s Japanese-Indian JV, battery cells and electrodes will be made locally. That’s not just localisation—it’s electrification of self-reliance.
The PM revealed prototypes of hybrid ambulances, developed in just six months, which will soon roll out under the ₹11,000 crore PM E-DRIVE scheme. From now on, even an ambulance siren might hum, “Current Laga Re.”
📈 India’s Industrial Engine: Full Charge Ahead
The PM flexed India’s numbers—mobile phone production up 2700% since 2014, defence production up 200%, and electronics up 500%. Next stop? Semiconductors, with six plants about to switch on. And for those worried about rare earth magnets—don’t worry, India’s new National Critical Mineral Mission is already digging deep.
🛤️ From Bullet Trains to Electric Gains
Wrapping up, the Prime Minister said the India-Japan partnership that began with Maruti now runs at the “speed of a bullet train.” With 2047 on the horizon, India’s EV and semiconductor industries are being groomed as the locomotives of Viksit Bharat.
As PM Modi flagged off the e Vitara, one thing was clear: India’s green mobility isn’t just about cars. It’s about charging up an entire nation’s ambitions—one gigawatt at a time.
