Wednesday, August 27, 2025
By Kamal Swami
PM Modi Urges Indians to Embrace Swadeshi at Suzuki Event
With U.S. tariff plans to be effective from Wednesday, August 27, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday urged Indians to be “vocal for local” and adopt Swadeshi as their life’s mantra. Addressing a function organised by Suzuki Motor Corporation in Hansalpur, Gujarat, the Prime Minister inaugurated the production of Suzuki’s first Made-in-India global Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) – the e-Vitara – and the localised production of hybrid battery electrodes at the TDS Lithium-Ion Battery plant.
During his address of 30-minutes, PM Modi did not talk about U.S. tariffs, nor mentioned the name of the U.S. President. Instead, he highlighted India’s growing partnership with Japan, underscoring the role of Japanese companies in strengthening Make in India and Make for the World initiatives. “Japan will be our trusted partner to achieve our 2047 goals. We are made for each other and are trusted partners. You [Indians] should be vocal for local and Swadeshi should be your life’s mantra,” the Prime Minister said.
Modi emphasised that products manufactured in India, even from foreign investment, should be considered Swadeshi. “Anything made in India, including the cars manufactured by Japan’s Suzuki in India by the sweat and engineering skills of Indians, should be treated as Swadeshi,” he added.
Inaugurations and Key Announcements
The event was organised to roll out Suzuki’s e-Vitara, which will be exported to over 100 countries, including the U.K., Europe, and Japan. Along with this, the Indo-Japanese automaker also inaugurated the production of a hybrid battery electrode. This hybrid battery electrode will power eAmbulances and other hybrid vehicles. This aligns with India’s push for clean energy and reduced carbon emissions.
Highlighting the significance of domestic battery manufacturing, Modi pointed out that until recently, India was entirely dependent on imports. “To strengthen EV manufacturing, it is essential for India to begin domestic battery production,” he said, announcing that three Japanese companies under TDSG will jointly manufacture battery cells in India for the first time.
India’s Push Towards Clean Mobility and Manufacturing
The Prime Minister repeated India’s commitment to becoming a centre for clean mobility and futuristic industries. He emphasised that “Mission Manufacturing” will drive progress in emerging sectors, including semiconductors. With six semiconductor plants planned to be developed in the country, Modi reaffirmed the government’s commitment to advancing this critical industry.
Addressing concerns about the impact of rare earth magnet shortages on the auto sector, he announced the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission. The initiative will undertake more than 1,200 exploratory campaigns to identify critical minerals across India.
Strengthening India-Japan Partnership
Modi also announced his upcoming visit to Japan. PM highlighted that the India-Japan relationship is beyond diplomatic ties and is based on culture and mutual trust. He highlighted that Japanese investments and collaborations have played a critical role in strengthening India’s manufacturing powers.
Building for 2047
Concluding his address, Modi underlined India’s policy measures over the past decade, which have helped mitigate global supply chain disruptions. He reaffirmed that India is working to make its manufacturing sector globally competitive by developing industrial corridors, plug-and-play infrastructure, and logistics parks to support the vision of a developed India by 2047.
