By SominduS

From Becharaji to Birmingham: PM Modi’s Historic EV Export Launch

In a momentous occasion resonating far beyond Gujarat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to make his inaugural visit to the Suzuki Motor Gujarat (SMG) plant in Becharaji. During this landmark visit, he will inaugurate the export line for the E-Vitara electric vehicle (EV), marking a prodigious leap from Becharaji to Birmingham, United Kingdom. This event symbolizes far more than an export milestone; it embodies the realization of PM Modi’s vision and conviction in transforming a once-arid and overlooked region into a global nexus of cutting-edge automotive innovation and industry. Today, SMG exports to over 70 countries, and with the E-Vitara’s global debut, that reach will extend to more than 100 markets worldwide carrying not just vehicles, but India’s engineering prowess and sustainable ambition. And it all traces back to 2012, when Padma Vibhushan Osamu Suzuki, inspired by then Chief Minister Modi’s unwavering conviction, placed a bold bet on Gujarat’s promise and sparked a transformation that now drives the world.

Beyond Make in India: Becharaji’s Rise as India’s EV and Battery Tech Capital

This historic event culminates years of strategic foresight, cohesive governance, and a deepening economic partnership with Japan. The E-Vitara, India’s first all-wheel-drive electric SUV with a 500-kilometer range, exemplifies the evolution of India’s “Make in India” initiative into a global aspiration to “Shape the Future from India.” Prime Minister Modi’s personal involvement underscores the achievement’s centrality in India’s industrial and diplomatic narrative, sending a powerful message of India’s readiness to lead the global EV revolution.

Moreover, the SMG plant hosts the Tata-Denso-Suzuki Gujarat (TDSG) giga scale “cell to battery pack” factory, India’s pioneering facility for advanced lithium-ion batteries. TDSG predominantly localizes parts for strong hybrid batteries, integrating state-of-the-art battery technology into India’s sustainable mobility ambitions. This makes Becharaji a shining crown jewel for Suzuki, Gujarat, and India alike.

From Dust to Drive: How Mandal–Becharaji Became India’s Mobility Hub

The journey began in 2012 when Modi’s government prioritized reinforcing India-Japan business ties. Suzuki Motor Corporation was encouraged to select Becharaji, a location initially dismissed for its poor infrastructure and logistical challenges. However, Modi’s resolve to deliver regulatory reforms, expedite approvals, and build a growth-conducive environment convinced Suzuki to bet big on this region.

Ground breaking in 2015 marked the dawn of a transformative era. SMG evolved beyond a manufacturing plant to become a nucleus of an industrial ecosystem, fostering local supplier networks, skills development, and inclusive growth that uplifted communities.

Record-Breaking Growth: SMG Becomes Suzuki’s Global Flagship

Since its inception, SMG has been the fastest to achieve the million-car production mark. The plant reached remarkable production milestones, hitting 1 million units by October 2020, 2 million by August 2022, 3 million by December 2023, and surpassing 4 million vehicles by February 2025. This rapid trajectory cements SMG as the fastest-growing Suzuki plant globally. Today, it operates with extraordinary efficiency, churning out one car every 57 seconds, a record for both Suzuki and India. Beyond these impressive figures, SMG’s success is deeply embedded in the socioeconomic fabric of Becharaji, reflecting Prime Minister Modi’s vision of inclusive development where prosperity is equitable and sustainable.

Beyond the Assembly Line: Transforming Lives and Livelihoods

Research by the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) shows about 77% of local households have improved healthcare access through newly established facilities, while 88% witness enhanced education with better enrolment and reduced dropouts, powered by scholarships and teacher training. Economically, 41% of families shifted from subsistence farming or labor to salaried jobs linked to SMG, positively impacting over 750,000 livelihoods.

Individual stories illustrate social transformation from Mayank Thakur, whose family now accesses nearby healthcare, to Kajal, a young woman aspiring to be a technician thanks to evolving mindsets shaped by SMG’s presence. Entrepreneurship blossoms as traditional trades diversify women like Savitribai opening tea stalls and local vendors thriving alongside vibrant market activity.

Lighting Up Progress: Satellite Data Reveals Becharaji’s Boom

Luminosity analysis, a sophisticated technique adopted by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank as a reliable proxy for measuring economic activity, reveals a staggering 775% increase in night-time light intensity around the SMG plant. This objective indicator showcases the dramatic industrial and social transformation illuminating the streets and homes of Becharaji. When this luminosity growth is translated into GDP terms, it reflects an average annual growth rate of 6.4%, which notably exceeds India’s national average and is astronomically higher compared to similar regions elsewhere in the country. This data vividly testifies to the region’s remarkable and sustained growth.

A Roadmap for India: Scaling Sustainable and Inclusive Growth

The E-Vitara export to the UK signals a new chapter, affirming India’s global leadership in sustainable transportation technology. SMG’s integrated ecosystem is a blueprint where technology, employment, and environment harmonize for collective progress.

India-Japan strategic economic cooperation underpins this model, with faster regulatory processes, localized supplier ecosystems, and human capital development replicable across sectors like energy, electronics, and logistics.

India–Japan Synergy: Diplomacy that Builds Future

PM Modi’s visit reflects fulfilled promises where once out-migrating regions now attract skilled workers, highlighting factories as engines of social uplift, bridging rural-urban divides. The SMG plant’s success is a replicable model demonstrating how governance, diplomatic partnership, and industrial innovation foster tangible progress from grassroots to global export terminals.

Every vehicle off the line and every life uplifted illustrates relentless determination. Becharaji has transformed from dusty hinterland to a global automotive and technology beacon—a testimony to visionary leadership and a sustainable future for India.

The Road Ahead: PM Modi’s Visit and the Technology Powering India’s EV Leap

As per the sources, PM Modi’s visit in late August 2025 will inaugurate the E-Vitara export line at SMG, marking his first visit to the plant. The event highlights advanced manufacturing and export expansion from 70 to 100 countries.

Experts highlight the E-Vitara’s technical features: a dual battery option (49 kWh and 61 kWh), front-wheel and Suzuki’s proprietary ALLGRIP-e all-wheel drive delivering approx. 184 hp and 300 Nm torque, achieving 500+ km range on a single charge. The vehicle uses the HEARTECT-e platform engineered for enhanced strength, safety, and space efficiency in EVs.

TDSG’s battery plant is a technological pioneer in India, producing lithium-ion battery modules for mild and strong hybrid vehicles with advanced safety features and recyclability (20,000+ cycles). With integrated sensors, it offers high charging efficiency and vehicle diagnostics support, reinforcing India’s EV manufacturing prowess.

A Story That Had to Be Told

I haven’t written a story since 2017. But what is unfolding in Becharaji, where conviction met creation and a dry hinterland now hums with the future, left me no choice. Sometimes a place stops being a pin on the map and starts pulling the country forward. This is one of those times. And nothing sums up better than quote by President Toshihiro Suzuki in Times of India Article where he said, “This transformation around our manufacturing hub, serving both domestic and export markets, was made possible not only through our efforts but also thanks to state govt support, the strength of our supplier ecosystem, and determined communities of Becharaji and Hansalpur.”

Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suzuki_Motor_Gujarat
https://www.cnbctv18.com/auto/bharat-mobility-expo-2025-maruti-e-vitara-unveiled-as-indias-1st-awd-electric-suv-with-500km-range-19541895.htm
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/ahmedabad/dusty-roads-to-fast-lanes-how-car-plant-wheeled-in-change/articleshow/120652192.cms
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-maruti-suzuki-transformed-india-japan-relations-sanjesh-kumar-jz8qf
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