New Delhi, July 2 (IANS). Maruti Suzuki India on Thursday inaugurated its most modern vehicle manufacturing unit at IMT Kharkhoda in Haryana. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi dedicated the plant to the nation through video conferencing during the India-Japan Joint Economic Forum held in the national capital.
Spread over approximately 800 acres, this integrated manufacturing complex has been developed with a modern supplier park. Once completely ready, it will be included in the world’s largest vehicle manufacturing units.
At present, production has started at this plant with the capacity to produce 5 lakh vehicles per year. In the next phase its capacity will be increased to 10 lakh vehicles per year. The company will invest a total of Rs 35,000 crore in this project. Upon completion of the project, it is expected to provide direct employment to more than 21,000 people.
The Kharkhoda plant has been developed under Suzuki’s ‘Smart Factory’ concept using Industry 5.0 technologies aimed at improving production quality, safety and productivity. The plant also incorporates sustainable technologies such as solar power, biogas, battery energy storage systems and green energy. Its entire power requirement will be met from renewable energy sources.
This inauguration is considered an important milestone in Maruti Suzuki’s journey of more than four decades in India. It is also a step to further strengthen the strategic economic partnership between India and Japan.
Once operational at full capacity, the Kharkhoda plant will play an important role in Maruti Suzuki’s target of achieving a production capacity of 40 lakh vehicles every year.
Describing the project as historic for Suzuki Group, Toshihiro Suzuki said that it is a matter of pride for him that the company’s most modern manufacturing facility was inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. He said that the plant, which currently has a capacity of 5 lakh vehicles, will be further expanded to a capacity of 10 lakh vehicles per annum, making it one of the largest automobile manufacturing units in the world.
He described the project as a symbol of the success of India-Japan partnership and ‘Make in India’ initiative. He said that due to the favorable policy environment created by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, Suzuki is rapidly pursuing investment, employment generation, exports and technological development in India.
Emphasizing the growing importance of India, Toshihiro Suzuki said that Suzuki Group’s first battery electric vehicle e-Vitara is being manufactured exclusively at Maruti Suzuki’s plant in Gujarat, from where this electric SUV will be exported to 100 countries of the world.
–IANS
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