Maruti Suzuki Surpasses Previous High with 5.18 Lakh Vehicle Dispatches Through Railways in FY25

Maruti Suzuki India Limited dispatched 5.18 lakh vehicles through Indian Railways in FY 2024-25, accounting for about one-fourth of its total shipments for the year—the highest volume transported by rail to date.

The automotive manufacturer's rail dispatches resulted in avoiding over 1.8 lakh tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and saved more than 630 lakh litres of fuel during the fiscal year. Since FY 2014-15, Maruti Suzuki has cumulatively dispatched around 24 lakh vehicles through the railway network.

Railway transportation offers significant environmental advantages as a low-emission and energy-efficient mode of transportation while helping reduce road congestion. Maruti Suzuki currently operates vehicle dispatches to more than 20 hubs using railways, serving over 600 cities across India. The company also utilizes rail transportation to reach port locations at Mundra and Pipavav for export operations.

The company's railway operations have expanded substantially, with dispatches growing nearly eight times since FY 2014-15. Maruti Suzuki operates over 40 flexi deck rakes, each capable of carrying approximately 300 vehicles per trip. In 2024, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated India's first automobile in-plant railway siding at the company's Gujarat manufacturing facility.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Maruti Suzuki India Limited, said, "Reducing carbon emissions is a top priority for us, both in our products and in our operations. Maruti Suzuki was the first company in India to obtain an Automobile-Freight-Train-Operator license, in 2013. Since then, we have dispatched nearly 24 lakh vehicles through rail mode. By FY 2030-31, we plan to increase the share of vehicle dispatches through railways to 35%."

Maruti Suzuki became the first company in India to obtain an Automobile-Freight-Train-Operator license in 2013, establishing its pioneering position in utilizing railway infrastructure for automotive logistics. The company targets increasing the share of vehicle dispatches through railways to 35% by FY 2030-31 as part of its commitment to sustainable logistics operations.

The emission calculations follow the Global Logistics Emissions Council framework version 3.1, a globally recognized methodology developed by the Smart Freight Centre for calculating and reporting logistics emissions