Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday laid the foundation stones of the country’s largest automobile company Maruti Suzuki’s projects in Gujarat and Haryana, as the Japanese automobile giant is commemorating 40 years of its presence in India.
On the occasion, the PM lauded Maruti Suzuki’s success in India calling it a bright example of India-Japan partnership.
In Gujarat, the PM laid the foundation stone of Maruti Suzuki’s Electric Vehicle (EV) battery manufacturing plant in Hansalpur where Suzuki Motors set up its first manufacturing unit outside Haryana in the country.
For Haryana, Mr. Modi laid the foundation stone of the company’s vehicle manufacturing plant at Kharkhoda in the Sonipat district.
“Will generate direct jobs”
The proposed manufacturing plants of Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki Motorcycle at Industrial Model Township in Sonipat’s Kharkhoda will entail an estimated investment of ₹20,000 crore and generate around 13,000 direct jobs.
As per the details, spread across 800 acres, the proposed Maruti Suzuki plant will be the company’s largest single manufacturing site in the country involving a total investment of around ₹18,000 crore.
Additionally, Suzuki Motorcycle’s project will be spread across 100 acres and would entail an investment of around ₹1,500 crore. It will generate around 2,000 direct jobs.
“In the last eight years, the relations between India and Japan have achieved new heights. Today, from the bullet train in Gujarat-Maharashtra to the Rudraksh centre in Banaras in Uttar Pradesh, many development projects are examples of Indo-Japan friendship,” PM Modi said addressing the gathering to commemorate the 40 years of Maruti Suzuki in India.
On the proposed new plant in Gujarat, the Prime Minister said he was happy for Maruti Suzuki establishing an EV battery manufacturing plant in Gujarat’s Hansalpur where they first came at Mr. Modi’s invitation in 2011-12.
He noted that the Suzuki continued to expand in Gujarat by pumping in more investments in the State. PM Modi recalled the promise of Gujarat to Suzuki given 13 years ago when he was the Chief Minister and had invited Suzuki to set up its manufacturing factory there.
The PM said that Gujarat had kept its promise and Suzuki had matched its delivery in the same manner.
He also added that the automobile company was setting up a battery factory to develop electric vehicles for the country.
“Silent revolution”
“A great feature of electric vehicles is that they are silent. Be it a two-wheeler or a four-wheeler, they do not make any noise. This silence is not only about its engineering, but it is also the beginning of a silent revolution the EV vehicles are bringing in India,” Mr. Modi said.
According to him, Maruti Suzuki was now working towards bio-fuel, ethanol blending and Hybrid EVs.
“I would like to suggest that Maruti Suzuki should also start working towards manufacturing products related to compressed biomethane gas,” the PM suggested in his speech that was delivered after the video address by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who delivered a video message for Sunday’s event.
“We owe the success of Maruti Suzuki to the support of the people and the Government of India. Recently the Indian economic growth has been further accelerating due to various assistance measures for the manufacturing sector, guided by the strong leadership of PM Modi,” Mr. Kishida said in his message.
He added that together with PM Modi, he was determined to undertake efforts to further develop the “Japan-India Special Strategic and Global Partnership and realize a Free and Open Indo-Pacific.”
On the occasion, 92-year old Osamu Suzuki, senior advisor, Suzuki Motor Corporation was also present on the stage where PM Modi held his hand and jointly waved at the gatherings.
