At the carmaker’s 44th Annual General Meeting (AGM), Maruti Suzuki India Chairman R.C. Bhargava launched a scathing attack at US President Donald Trump.
“Trump has, in many ways, forced nations to rethink conventional policies and relationships. Personal use of tariffs in diplomacy is being seen for the first time,” Bhargava told shareholders, adding that India has to come together to figure out how to deal with the 50 per cent tariffs imposed on the country.
“It is our duty as Indians to do our very best to promote and maintain our dignity and respect and not give in to any kind of bullying in this matter...” he said, “…the nation has to stand united!”
The chairman also hailed the latest announcement of GST reforms by the Centre. “We are all hopeful that the proposal which the Prime Minister made will result in the GST on small cars reducing to 18 per cent, but we have to wait till the official announcement is made.”
Bhargava’s statements came two days after Suzuki Motor Corp’s President Toshihiro Suzuki announced that the Japanese auto giant would invest Rs 70,000 crore in the next five to six years in India to strengthen its operations in the country. In India, it operates the car business as Maruti Suzuki India.
Maruti Suzuki also had PM Narendra Modi flagging off its first electric vehicle, e-Vitara, in its Gujarat plant and launching exports from Maruti Suzuki India to 100 countries. Modi also inaugurated the production of lithium-ion battery cells for strong hybrid electric vehicles at its facility here.
The e-Vitara would be made exclusively at the Gujarat plant, and it would be exported from the Pipavav port to Europe, including the UK, Germany, Norway, France, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Austria, and Belgium.
