According to Toshihiro Suzuki, president and representative director of Suzuki Motor Corporation, India has the potential to overtake the United States as the world’s largest auto market. Talking to reporters on the sidelines of the Auto Expo 2023 in the city, he said the business will also look at other technologies, including flex fuel, hybrid and CNG, to see if they can help India achieve carbon neutrality. Are. Furthermore, Suzuki said that while the importance of car safety issues has increased, it is still necessary to follow basic traffic laws properly and provide adequate infrastructure to guarantee road safety.
“I can see that a time may come when India will be established as the number one market (of automobiles) in the world. Maruti Suzuki and Suzuki, as a group, would like to seize this opportunity. want to develop.” To provide the right mobility solution for this market,” he said.
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While he refused to share a possible timeline for India reaching the top, Suzuki insisted, “When I say India can become number one, it is from the point of view that India has the potential to become number one.” The potential is there, and I see there is a possibility that India can become number one.”
In 2022, India will overtake Japan to become the third largest automotive market in the world after China and the US, with an estimated over 42.5 lakh units sold. On the roadmap for small cars, which have seen a decline over the years, Suzuki said, “I think, in India, small cars still fall in an important category.”
The low penetration level of cars compared to the total population in India gives small cars “the potential to do well in the future”. He cited how India took a leap in mobile telephony in the telecom sector and said the same could happen in the country’s auto sector.
“I think, in the future, you may not need big cars, only small cars. I think it may be only small cars that are going to support people’s mobility,” Suzuki said.
In Japan, SMC (Suzuki Motor Corporation) has been strong with its small cars which “match the needs of Japanese people,” he said, adding, “We are trying the same here in the Indian market. We will supply. ” products that meet the needs of local consumers.”
Suzuki admitted that the delay in bringing the SUV to the Indian market has resulted in Maruti Suzuki losing market share. The company will introduce more products in this segment to regain its 50 per cent share in the passenger vehicles category.
“We are in the process of taking action and improving market share…SUV is a boom. But what will be the next boom, we need to see,” Suzuki said. expo here.
The small car segment, the bread and butter segment for Maruti Suzuki, the Indian arm of SMC, has been dwindling with the growing demand for SUVs in India. On the company’s roadmap for sustainable products in India, he said that when it comes to carbon neutrality, one option is EVs, and other manufacturers have launched electric vehicles.
“But there cannot be one solution… When it comes to launching suitable vehicles in India, it should be suitable for the Indian market. So SMC does not want to be swayed by the sole option of EV. There are other options such as Hybrid, ethanol, flex fuel,” he said, adding that the company will also expand CNG options to provide the right kind of vehicles to meet the requirements of the Indian market.
He added that the group is looking forward to discussions with the Indian government to be able to provide the right technology to march towards carbon neutrality. On the importance of Indian operations for SMC, he said, “India is important for us, not only for domestic sales but also for exports. It has doubled in the last five years and crossed 2.3 lakh (units) in the last financial year.” Has gone.”
He said that so far in this financial year, exports from India have crossed last year’s figure and are set for a new record. “We are determined to increase exports from India,” he said.
Suzuki also said that Maruti Suzuki’s contribution to the global SMC business, which currently stands at around 60 per cent, could increase further going forward. When asked about his view on the outlook, he said that it is difficult to say because of the current global economic situation and the war in Ukraine, which has led to an increase in energy and commodity prices.
with PTI inputs