Tuesday, February 18, 2025 | 08:13 AM ISTहिंदी में पढें
Business Standard
Notification Icon
userprofile IconSearch

Osamu Suzuki: The man who put India's automobile industry in top gear

Osamu Suzuki was awarded Padma Bhushan in 2007 by the Indian government for his contribution in developing the country's economy through the automobile sector

Osamu Suzuki, Director and Honorary Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Limited
Premium

Osamu Suzuki, Director and Honorary Chairman, Maruti Suzuki India Limited

Deepak Patel New Delhi

Listen to This Article

In April 1982, when Osamu Suzuki, then President of Suzuki Motor Corporation (SMC), signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Indian government company Maruti Udyog Limited to manufacture an 800 cc car (which later became the iconic Maruti 800), a carry van, and a pick-up truck, even the Japanese Embassy in Delhi was reportedly not in favour of the deal.
 
“Generally, Japanese companies invested in foreign companies after they saw successful investments being made by bigger Japanese firms. SMC, at that time, was hardly a leader. India’s political closeness to the erstwhile USSR and the strong socialist thinking in industrial

What you get on BS Premium?

  • Unlock 30+ premium stories daily hand-picked by our editors, across devices on browser and app.
  • Pick your 5 favourite companies, get a daily email with all news updates on them.
  • Full access to our intuitive epaper - clip, save, share articles from any device; newspaper archives from 2006.
  • Preferential invites to Business Standard events.
  • Curated newsletters on markets, personal finance, policy & politics, start-ups, technology, and more.
VIEW ALL FAQs

Need More Information - write to us at assist@bsmail.in