Ahmedabad, Aug 26: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the localised production of hybrid battery electrodes and flagged off Battery Electric Vehicle (EV) exports to 100 countries from Hansalpur in Ahmedabad, declaring that India is on its way to becoming a global hub of clean energy and mobility.
Addressing the event, Modi underlined India’s growing role in electric mobility and its deepening partnership with Japan. He praised India’s skilled workforce and demographic strength, noting that global companies such as Suzuki and Maruti Suzuki have made India their trusted manufacturing base.
“From today, EVs that will run across the world will carry the ‘Made in India’ tag,” the Prime Minister said. He highlighted that India, once fully dependent on imported EV batteries, is now producing them locally through a collaboration of three Japanese firms manufacturing battery cells and electrodes.
Calling EVs a “solution to many challenges,” Modi recalled how Maruti Suzuki developed a hybrid ambulance in just six months, transforming old vehicles into eco-friendly alternatives. He said such initiatives will reduce pollution and boost the hybrid vehicle market.
The Prime Minister also linked India’s EV growth to the policy reforms of the last decade, including Make in India, industrial corridors, and production-linked incentives, noting that electric manufacturing has grown 500% in ten years.
Emphasising competitive, investor-friendly state policies, Modi urged states to adopt transparent governance to attract investments. He also announced future plans in semiconductors and critical minerals, including the National Critical Mineral Mission.
Hailing the historic and cultural depth of India-Japan ties, he said the partnership that began with Maruti Suzuki is now moving at “bullet train speed,” affirming, “India-Japan relations are made for each other.”
