India Most Critical Market, Largest Export Base for Suzuki: Toshihiro Suzuki

India has solidified its role as the global manufacturing hub for passenger vehicles for Japanese auto giant Suzuki Motor Corporation, transforming into the automaker's top export base and its most critical market globally.

“India is Suzuki's most critical market, and we have big plans for India…You will be delighted to learn that India is now no 1 export base for Suzuki,” said Toshihiro Suzuki, the president of Suzuki Motor Corporation told reporters at the Japan Mobility Show 2025.

India is the largest market for Suzuki, with the country accounting for over 61% of total output in the previous financial year and 57% of its total global sales.

Maruti Suzuki, the Indian subsidiary of Suzuki Motor, is the largest passenger vehicle maker in the country. The automaker commanded a 50% share in the market till a few years back and its market share is now hovering around 40%. Suzuki has reiterated that the company has big plans for India and targets to get back to 50% share.

“We have planned investment of 1,200 billion yen (Rs 70,000 crore) towards capital investment for India. We remain committed to achieve a 50% market share and become No.1 in EV production, sales, and exports. And, we are on course to expand production capability to 4 million units,” he said.

In financial year 2025, Maruti Suzuki recorded its highest-ever exports, surpassing 330,000 vehicles. With key markets in Africa and the Middle East, the company’s overseas shipments have grown nearly 3.3 times over the past five years. With exports to Europe and Japan now underway, volumes are expected to climb further to around 400,000 units in the current fiscal.

“You will be excited to learn that Maruti Suzuki models hold the top share in their export locations in seven countries. Angola, Bhutan, Cote d’Ivoire, Seychelles, Mauritius, Bolivia, Djibouti and South Africa,” Suzuki said.

In August, Maruti Suzuki started production of its first global battery electric vehicle - eVitara - from its Hansalpur facility in Gujarat. The management has said India will be the global manufacturing hub of its electric vehicles.

Maruti Suzuki had set a target of producing 67,000 units of electric vehicles in this financial year, with exports planned to over 100 countries. Bulk of this planned volume will go for exports.

“This moment [production start of eVitara in Gujarat] was not only historic for the Suzuki group, but also symbolic of India’s emergence as a global manufacturing hub, a shining example of "Make in India, Made for the World",” he added.

Earlier this year, while reviewing its mid-term management plan, Suzuki Motor said its business environment in India has changed due to its declining market share and intensified competition in electric vehicles in the country, and that it needs to “rethink its strategy.”

With the falling share of the entry car segment and slowing growth rate, Suzuki Motor then revised its long-term sales outlook for its Indian subsidiary downwards by 15%, guiding for a volume of 2.54 million units by the end of this decade, as against the 3 million units target announced in October 2023