NEW DELHI: For the first time in FY25, Japan is among the top five countries to which Indian automobile exports go, indicating that there is a growing demand for Indian-made automobiles worldwide, especially in developed markets.

India is becoming a more important worldwide production base for major Indian exporters like Suzuki Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co.'s local operations.

SIAM's compilation of statistics from the commerce ministry shows that car shipments to Japan increased to $616.45 million in the first nine months of FY25, compared to $220.62 million for FY24 as a whole.

While official March quarter data is still pending,Industry sources predict continued growth in shipments to Japan particularly since Maruti Suzuki started delivering its Jimny SUV to the nation in January.
"We have established a foundation in automobile production over decades in terms of quality, cost, efficiency, and technology. Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki India, told the Economic Times, "This has provided us volumes and economies of scale."He added that the company intends to sell a significant number of e Vitara electric SUVs, which are made in India, to Japan and European markets.
In 2024, Japan, a major automaker and exporter, delivered 5.12 million vehicles.
"We have established a foundation in automobile production over decades in terms of quality, cost, efficiency, and technology. Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer at Maruti Suzuki India, told the Economic Times, "This has provided us volumes and economies of scale." He added that the company intends to sell a significant number of e Vitara electric SUVs, which are made in India, to Japan and European markets.
In 2024, Japan, a major automaker and exporter, delivered 5.12 million vehicles.
Honda Cars India outsold its domestic sales of 22,321 SUV Elevate units by exporting 45,167 units, mostly to Japan. In Japan, Maruti Suzuki sells the SUVs Fronx and Jimny.
Notably, Suzuki received almost 50,000 orders for the Jimny five-door in Japan in just four days after the debut, forcing them to temporarily halt further reservations.

According to Shailesh Chandra, president of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, "Indian OEMs have been expanding into crucial regions such as Africa and Latin America but are now beginning to penetrate developed markets (like Japan) with globally competitive models."