Indian auto OEMs sweep EXIM awards

April 29, 2013: Hyundai Motor India drove away with the top importer and exporter awards for the year 2011-12 at the third edition of the EXIM Achievement Awards function in Chennai on April 26. R Sethuraman, senior VP – Finance and corporate affairs, received the awards from Dr K Rosaiah, governor of Tamil Nadu, and G K Vasan, Union Minister for Shipping. It was almost a clean sweep for the automobile industry as Nissan Motor India bagged the award for the second highest exporter; Toyota Kirloskar Motors was the second highest importer, with BMW India being the third.

“We exported cars worth approximately $1.6 billion (Rs 87,000 crore) and imported parts worth just less than $1 billion (Rs 54,000 crore) for that year,” said Sethuraman. Asked if the immediate future will see the level of imports going down, Sethuraman said, “Yes, we will slightly reduce our imports in the next couple of years. For us, the process of localisation is continuous.” He also expressed confidence in the domestic market, adding that there are some positive steps from the central government, “The indications are quite positive and it will take 4-5 months to see the solid effects.”



Toyota Kirloskar Motor’s C K Srikantha said that for 2011-12, the company had paid Rs 1,100 crores as import duty. “For 2012-13, we have paid Rs 1,500 crore as duty. Regarding exports, we exported cars worth Rs 500 crore in 2011-12, but for 2012-13, it has more than tripled and we exported cars worth Rs 1,800 crore,” said Srikantha, deputy general manager – import & export division. Expressing confidence in doing well in the coming years, Srikantha said that the company had already begun exporting the recently face-lifted Etios sedan and Liva hatchback to South Africa and its neighbouring countries.

For Kenichiro Yomura, president of Nissan India operations and recently appointed MD and CEO of Nissan India, it was a case of having the cake and eating it too. “In my previous position in Japan, I was taking care of exports to the Middle East and Chennai was one of the offices I closely worked with. So I am very happy to receive this award,” Yomura said.

During his welcome address, Chozha Naachiar Rajasekar, president of the Tamil Chamber of Commerce appealed to the Union Minister of Shipping to restart the halted elevated expressway project between Maduravoyul and Ennore in Chennai. The expressway began as a project to link the Sriperumbudur-Oragadam industrial belt directly to the Seaport and was heralded as a project that will ease the troubles of the automobile industry in particular. However, the project was recently halted due to a tiff between the National Highway Authority of India and the Tamil Nadu state government on account of its alignment.

The event also saw the leading sea ports and cargo handlers being awarded. The governor of Tamil Nadu, Dr K Rosaiah was the chief guest of the evening, with G K Vasan, Union Minister for Shipping as the guest of honour.

KARTHIK H