Japan:Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said the commencement of Maruti Suzuki India's export of its sports utility vehicle Fronx to Japan has further strengthened the 'Brand India' image on the global stage.The first consignment of over 1,600 vehicles left for Japan from Gujarat's Pipavav port, the country's largest carmaker said in a statement.
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Fronx will be the first SUV from the Maruti Suzuki stable to be launched in Japan, it added.
The company rolls out the model exclusively from its Gujarat plant.
"Samay badal raha hai (time is changing). A truly proud moment as a consignment of over 1,600 Made In India SUVs from @Maruti_Corp is exported for the first time to Japan," Goyal said on the social media platform X (formerly twitter).
He said that the Modi government has implemented several policies to boost domestic Indian manufacturing over the last decade.
"With an emphasis on producing world-class quality products locally, it has helped 'Brand India' become a name to reckon with globally," he said.
Fronx is the second model from Maruti Suzuki to be exported to Japan, after Baleno in 2016.
"Japan is one of the most quality-conscious and advanced automobile markets in the world. Our export to Japan is a testament to Maruti Suzuki's capability to manufacture world-class vehicles that exemplify cutting-edge technology, exceptional performance, internationally recognised safety, and quality standards," Maruti Suzuki India MD & CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said.
Unveiled globally at the Auto Expo 2023, Fronx was launched in India on April 24, 2023.
The SUV became the first model in the country to clock the fastest 1 lakh sales within 10 months from launch.
In July 2023, the company commenced export of Fronx to destinations like Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa.
Cumulatively since launch, Fronx has recorded total sales of over 2 lakh units in domestic and export markets.
The company currently has a 42 per cent share in the exports of passenger vehicles from the country.
In the April-June quarter of the current fiscal, Maruti Suzuki has already exported 70,560 units, the highest ever in any Q1 of the company.