Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday flagged off Maruti Suzuki’s first electric vehicle (EV) — christened “e-Vitara” — from the Hansalpur manufacturing facility in Gujarat. The made-in-India Maruti e-Vitara will be exported to more than 100 countries, including Japan.
Modi also inaugurated the lithium-ion battery manufacturing facility by Suzuki, Toshiba, and Denso, supporting hybrid and electric vehicle battery production.
Swadeshi should be everyone’s life mantra: PM Modi
On the same landmark occasion, PM Modi said that “swadeshi” should be everyone’s life mantra — the word roughly translates to “of one’s own country”, and it gained currency during the Indian freedom struggle against the British.
During the Swadeshi Movement, triggered by the British dividing the state of Bengal in 1905, many products began to be made in India and British goods were boycotted. As Indian goods are targeted in 2025 by the high tariffs set by US President Donald Trump, the relevance of swadeshi is evident again.
Modi said that his government’s “Make in India” initiative had created a favourable environment for both global and domestic manufacturers.
“The world will drive electric vehicles that are made in India,” Modi said, after flagging off the e-Vitara.
Speaking at the flagoff event, PM Modi asked people to buy only swadeshi products. In that way, Maruti Suzuki was also a swadeshi company, he said. “My definition of swadeshi is where money is invested by anybody but work is done by Indians,” said the prime minister.
In the past decade, electronics production in India had increased by 500 per cent; mobile production had increased by 2,700 per cent; and defence production rose by 200 per cent, Modi said.
India had the power of democracy, the advantage of demographics, and a very large pool of skilled workforce, Modi said. “This creates a win-win situation for every partner of ours,” he said.
“Today, the entire world is looking towards India. At such a time, no state should lag behind. Every state should take advantage of this opportunity,” he said.
“Investors coming to the country should be so confused that they think: should I go to this state or that state,” Modi said. “I invite all states to compete in reforms, pro-development policies, and in good governance,” he added.
“India is not going to stop here. In the sectors where we have performed well, we aim to do even better. That is why we are emphasising [on] Mission Manufacturing. In the coming time, our focus will be on futuristic industries,” said PM Modi.
—With inputs by CtoI News Desk
