📋 Tender Overview
The popular Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendrabhai Patel, Ambassador of Japan to Bharat, Mr. Keiichi Ono San, President of Suzuki Motor Corporation, Toshihiro Suzuki San, Managing Director of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, Hisashi Takeuchi San, Chairman R.C. Bhargava, all employees of the Hansalpur Plant, other distinguished dignitaries, ladies and gentlemen!
Amidst the joy of Ganeshotsav, today a new chapter is being added to Bharats Make in India journey. This Make in India, Make for the World is a big leap towards our goal. From today, Electric Vehicles made in Bharat will be exported to 100 countries. Along with this, hybrid battery electrode manufacturing is also starting today. This day is also giving a new dimension to the friendship between Bharat and Japan. I extend my heartiest congratulations to all Indians, to Japan, and to Suzuki Company. In a way, thirteen marks the beginning of the teenage phase. Teenage is a time of spreading wings, of taking flight with dreams. In teenage, countless aspirations arise; it is almost as if the feet dont touch the ground. I am happy that today Maruti is entering its teenage years. The entry of Maruti into its teenage years here in Gujarat means that in the coming days Maruti will spread new wings, move forward with fresh energy and enthusiasm. I have full faith in this.
Friends,
The seeds of this success story of Bharat were sown almost 13 years ago. In 2012, when I was the Chief Minister here, we allotted land to Maruti Suzuki in Hansalpur. Even at that time, the vision was of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India), of Make in India. Our efforts back then are playing such a big role today in fulfilling the nations aspirations.
Friends,
On this occasion, I would like to fondly remember the late Osamu Suzuki San. Our government had the privilege of honouring him with the Padma Vibhushan. I am happy that the vision he had for Maruti-Suzuki India, today we are witnessing its grand expansion.
Friends,
Bharat has the power of democracy, and Bharat has the advantage of demography. We also have a very large pool of skilled workforce. This creates a win win situation for all our partners. Today you can see Suzuki Japan is manufacturing in Bharat, and the cars made here are being exported back to Japan. This not only reflects the strength of Bharat-Japan relations but also the trust that global companies have in Bharat. In a way, companies like Maruti Suzuki have become brand ambassadors of Make in India. For the past 4 consecutive years, Maruti has been Bharats largest car exporter. From today, EV exports will also begin on the same scale. Now, in dozens of countries around the world, the EVs running there will carry the mark--Made in India!
Friends,
We all know that the most critical part of the EV ecosystem is the battery. Until a few years ago, batteries in Bharat were completely imported. To strengthen EV manufacturing, it was necessary that Bharat also manufacture batteries. With this vision, we laid the foundation of the TDSG battery plant here in 2017. Under a new initiative by TDSG, three Japanese companies together will manufacture cells in Bharat for the very first time in this factory. Even the electrodes for battery cells will now be produced locally in Bharat. This localization will give new strength to Bharats self reliance. It will also accelerate the growth of hybrid electric vehicles. I extend my heartiest congratulations to you all for this historic beginning.
Friends,
A few years ago, EVs were seen only as a new alternative. But I have always believed that EVs are a concrete solution to many problems. Thats why, during my visit to Singapore last year, I had said, we can convert our old vehicles, our old ambulances, into hybrid EVs. Maruti Suzuki accepted this challenge and, in just 6 months, developed a working prototype. I just saw this prototype of the hybrid ambulance myself. These hybrid ambulances perfectly fit into the PM E-DRIVE scheme. In this scheme of about 11,000 crore rupees, a dedicated budget has also been set aside for e-ambulances. Hybrid EVs will reduce pollution and also provide an option to transform old vehicles.
Friends,
Clean energy and clean mobility, this is our future. Through such efforts, Bharat will rapidly become a reliable centre for clean energy and clean mobility.
Friends,
Today, when the world is struggling with supply chain disruptions, it is clear how useful the policies framed by Bharat over the past decade have been for our nation. In 2014, when I was given the opportunity to serve the country, we immediately began preparations for this. We launched the Make in India campaign and created a favourable environment for both global and domestic manufacturers. To make manufacturing in Bharat efficient and globally competitive, we are developing industrial corridors, creating plug and play infrastructure, and building logistics parks. Bharat is also providing Production Linked Incentives (PLI) benefits to manufacturers in many sectors.
Friends,
Through major reforms, we have also removed old difficulties faced by investors. This has made it easier for investors to put their money into Indian manufacturing. The results are before us: in this decade, electronics production has increased by nearly 500 percent. Mobile phone production has increased by as much as 2,700 percent compared to 2014. Defence production too has grown by more than 200 percent in the past decade. These successes are motivating all Indian states, every single state, to compete in reforms and in attracting investments. This healthy competition is benefiting the entire country.
And I have been telling all the states in every meeting, in personal conversations, very publicly that we have to be proactive. We have to make pro development policies. We have to emphasize on single window clearance. We have to emphasize on reforms in the laws and this is the age of competition, the faster a state keeps its policies neat and clean, wit
