New Delhi: Indian auto component industry exports over 25% of its production annually. Last year it exported components worth USD 20 billion. However, this is less than 2% of global auto industry trade, giving us a huge opportunity to further increase exports, said a top company official on Monday.
“The world is watching, and the steps we take today will shape the future of our industry for decades to come,” said Hisashi Takeuchi, MD & CEO, Maruti Suzuki at the ACMA Annual Session.
To become self-reliant, he pointed out five critical areas for the Indian automotive industry – offer technologically advanced features at affordable prices, support local semiconductor-manufacturing, adopt digitization and automation, manpower skilling and compete at a global level.
Takeuchi noted the importance of investing in R&D and collaborating across the value chain to achieve this balance.
“This means more than just manufacturing, it involves a holistic approach that includes local testing facilities, enhancing design and development capabilities, and most importantly, investing in our people,” he said.
With today’s customers seeking feature-loaded, technology-driven experiences, there is a clear shift leading to a significant increase in the penetration of electronics within our vehicles.
The MD also insisted on an early and active engagement between manufacturers of electronics parts and local semiconductors to ensure that the chips required by the industry are developed and produced locally, further reducing the dependency on external sources.
He added that digitalization and automation are no longer “optional”, they are “essential” for maintaining and enhancing our competitiveness.
For manpower skilling, India has a vast pool of talent. But the need is to develop a quality workforce trained in robotics, mechatronics, SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), and new-age technologies for our shopfloor engineers and technicians, he said.
Our goal should be to not only meet but exceed global standards, positioning India as a hub for high-quality, affordable mobility components, Takeuchi signed off.
