Overview

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off the first e‑Vitara units at Maruti Suzuki’s Hansalpur plant, which executives say will ship to over 100 countries including Japan and European markets.
• Suzuki Motor Corporation announced a Rs 70,000 crore (about $8 billion) investment over five to six years to scale Indian operations, with the Gujarat complex planned to reach roughly one million units of annual capacity.
• Maruti Suzuki chairman R.C. Bhargava said exports may begin before domestic sales and no firm India launch date is set, citing the need for adequate volumes for dealers and the cost impact of imported batteries.
• The company pointed to rare‑earth magnet supply constraints as a factor delaying global order fulfilment; Hansalpur localises battery electrodes but full battery cells remain imported, with reports citing BYD packs.
• Stated goals include producing about 67,000 EVs in FY26, exporting 50,000–100,000 EVs annually, and doubling overall manufacturing capacity in India to 4 million units by 2030; the e‑Vitara will offer two battery sizes and AWD for exports, with India spec in 2WD.