Tuesday, August 26, 2025
By Kamal Swami
PM Modi to Inaugurate Battery Unit at Suzuki Hansalpur
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit the Suzuki Motor plant in Hansalpur, Ahmedabad, on Tuesday to inaugurate the localised production of hybrid battery electrodes and launch exports of Maruti Suzuki’s first global battery electric vehicle (BEV), the e-VITARA. According to an official statement from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), “On 26th August, at around 10:30 a.m., the Prime Minister will inaugurate localised production of hybrid battery electrodes and flag off battery electric vehicle exports to 100 countries at Hansalpur, Ahmedabad. He will also address the gathering on the occasion.”
The e-VITARA is the first electric vehicle by the Indo-Japanese carmaker and will be exported to more than 100 international markets, including Japan and several European nations. The launch of the electric Vitara will be a big step towards India’s electric mobility ambitions. The production of localised hybrid battery electrode will commence at the TDS Lithium-Ion Battery plant developed in collaboration between Toshiba, Denso, and Suzuki. With the inauguration of this plant, 80 per cent of the batteries will now be manufactured in the country. Reinforcing India’s push towards clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and self-reliance.
The country’s largest car manufacturing company, Maruti Suzuki India, first showcased the e-VITARA at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in January 2025. At present, the company has four manufacturing plants located in the country with a combined production capacity of 2.6 million units annually. In FY25, Maruti Suzuki sold 19.01 lakh vehicles domestically and exported over 3.32 lakh units.
With the inauguration of the Hansalpur plant, the company will officially start the production of the e-VITARA. The Hansalpur plant will work as Suzuki’s global manufacturing hub for electric vehicles. These initiatives are in line with the government’s vision to establish India as a global leader in electric mobility, advanced infrastructure, and sustainable manufacturing. The directive initiative behind the Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) mission.
Along with the inauguration of the EV and battery projects, the Prime Minister will also inaugurate various projects of Rs 1,400 crore related to railways. This includes the Rs 530 crore doubling of the 65 km Mahesana–Palanpur railway line, to enhance regional connectivity and boost economic activity in the region.
