‘Exploration missions to be conducted’: PM Modi addresses rare earths shortages in India; pushes for self-reliance
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday addressed the government’s push to secure critical minerals for the auto industry, with the launch of the National Critical Mineral Mission to boost exploration and domestic capacity. “The Indian government is also aware of the shortage of rare earth magnets for the auto industry. To increase the capacity of the industry in this direction, we have also launched the National Critical Mineral Mission. Under this, more exploration missions will be conducted at different places in the country, and critical minerals will be discovered,” PM Modi said after flagging off Maruti Suzuki’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV), e-Vitara.Speaking at the launch which will facilitate exports to over 100 countries and inaugurating localized production of hybrid battery electrodes in Hansalpur, Gujarat, PM said the day marked a new milestone in India’s Make in India journey. “In this fervour of Ganesh Utsav, today a new chapter is being added to India’s ‘Make in India’ journey. This is a big leap towards our goal of ‘Make in India, Make for the World’. From today, electric vehicles made in India will be exported to 100 countries. Along with this, hybrid battery electrolyte manufacturing is also starting today,” he said. The Prime Minister called on Indians to embrace swadeshi as a guiding principle, stressing that what matters is the work done by Indians, regardless of who makes the investment. “My definition of swadeshi is where money is invested by anybody but work is done by Indians,” PM Modi further said, adding that Maruti Suzuki, despite its Japanese parentage, qualifies as a swadeshi company in that spirit. He said the Make in India initiative had created a favourable environment for global and domestic manufacturers. “The world will drive electric vehicles that are made in India,” PM asserted, pointing to rapid growth in domestic manufacturing. Electronics production has risen by 500 per cent, mobile phone output by 2,700 per cent, and defence production by 200 per cent over the last decade, he noted.PM also said that India’s democratic strength, demographic advantage, and skilled workforce create a “win-win situation” for investors and partners. “India has the power of Democracy. India has the advantage of Demography. We also have a very large pool of Skilled Workforce. Therefore, this creates a Win-Win Situation for every Partner of ours,” he said.Also read: PM Modi flags off Maruti’s ‘made-in-India’ EV, to be exported to over 100 countries– top points about ‘e-Vitara’ project Referring to Suzuki’s journey in India, the Prime minister recalled that as Gujarat chief minister in 2012, he had allotted land in Hansalpur for the company’s plant. “The seeds of India’s success story were sown about 13 years ago,” he said, adding that Gujarat’s Maruti Suzuki plant was now entering its “teenage years” and ready to spread new wings. He termed Suzuki’s decision to manufacture EVs in India for global markets, including Japan, as a symbol of the strength of India-Japan ties. “This is not only a symbol of the strength of the relationship between India and Japan, but also reflects the global confidence in India. In a way, companies like Maruti Suzuki have become brand ambassadors of Make in India… Now, the EVs that will run in dozens of countries around the world will have written on them- Made In India,” he said.Maruti Suzuki’s e-Vitara project marks a major milestone in India’s EV journey, with the country becoming Suzuki’s global hub for electric vehicle manufacturing and exports to over 100 countries, including Europe and Japan. The SUV, available in 49 kWh and 61 kWh LFP battery variants with FWD and AWD options, comes packed with premium features such as LED headlamps, digital cluster, 360-degree camera, sunroof and ADAS. Alongside the EV rollout, Suzuki Motor Corp announced an investment of Rs 70,000 crore in India over the next 5–6 years, while Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated a lithium-ion battery plant by Suzuki, Toshiba and Denso, and launched the National Critical Mineral Mission to secure rare earth supplies for the auto industry.Also read: Suzuki to scale up India operations: Rs 70,000 crore investment over next 5–6 years
