Pune, Oct 30 (PTI) Union Minister for Heavy Industries H D Kumaraswamy on Friday urged the automobile industry to invest more in electric powertrains, batteries, power electronics, lightweight materials, vehicle software and hydrogen technologies.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of six manufacturing facilities of electric mobility firm EKA Mobility in collaboration with Pinnacle Industries here, the Minister also said that India is making rapid strides towards becoming a global manufacturing powerhouse. The vision of Aatmnirbhar Bharat and Viksit Bharat in 2047 has provided a strong bridge to indigenous manufacturing, technological innovation and sustainable mobility.
The expansion of indigenous manufacturing capabilities in electric commercial vehicles, automotive components and engineering solutions emancipates the growing confidence of India's manufacturing ecosystem, he said.
The automotive and auto-component industry is central to India's manufacturing strategy, the minister said, adding that it supports millions of livelihoods, anchors a vast electricity ecosystem and is a powerful multiplier effect across steel, electronics, engineering, large-scale and services.
"The Ministry of Heavy Industries has focused on translating policy intent into measurable outcomes. Our schemes are supporting investment, domestic value addition, advanced technology, manufacturing and transition to cleaner mobility," he said.
"However, our success cannot be measured only by the number of electric vehicles sold. It must also be measured by how much technology is designed in India, how much value is added domestically, how many MSMEs participate in new supply chains and how effectively Indian products compete in the global market," he added.
The six facilities were inaugurated virtually by Nitin Gadkari, Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways, in the presence of HD Kumaraswamy, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Sunetra Pawar, Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra; BJP National General Secretary (Organisation) BL Santhosh and Murlidhar Mohol, Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, among others.
Terming the automobile industry as the backbone of Indian industry, Union Minister Gadkari said, "To become a self-reliant India, we need 100 per cent indigenous electric vehicles, and this is our dream."
Earlier, all the dignitaries joined EKA Mobility and its group companies to unveil an over Rs 3,500-crore manufacturing ecosystem for India's electric commercial mobility.
"The inauguration of six manufacturing facilities across our group reflects our unwavering commitment to innovation, indigenous engineering, sustainable mobility, and manufacturing excellence. These facilities are more than infrastructure; they represent our vision of creating world-class capabilities, generating meaningful employment, nurturing talent, and contributing to India's emergence as a global manufacturing powerhouse," said Sudhir Mehta, Founder and Chairman, EKA Mobility and Group Companies.
As we take this significant step forward, we remain focused on delivering transformative mobility solutions that create lasting value for our customers, our nation, and future generations, he added.
EKA Mobility and the group operate 11 manufacturing facilities spread across 120 acres, 6 of which were inaugurated at EKA Avirbhava, with the capacity to build more than 40,000 electric vehicles a year.
The group has invested over Rs 3,500 crore in building this ecosystem, making it one of the largest investments in commercial electric vehicles in the country. It has also invested more than Rs 600 crore in R&D.
With these 11 facilities, EKA expects to create more than 2.5 lakh jobs over the next five years across its operations and wider ecosystem, the company said.
