PM Modi pushes for 'go local', flags off e-Vitara electric vehicle in Gujarat

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking in Ahmedabad, urged Indians to “Go local, produce Swadeshi, and Make in India,” emphasizing self-reliance as the US under Donald Trump imposes fresh tariffs. Modi inaugurated Suzuki Motor’s localized hybrid battery electrode plant and flagged off exports of Maruti Suzuki’s first global EV, the eVitara, bound for over 100 countries. Stressing that “production must be local” even as foreign investment is welcomed, Modi highlighted reducing import dependence, especially on Chinese rare earth minerals. The initiative ties into the ‘Vixit Bharat’ mission, aiming to make India a developed nation by 2047.