Saar: While the production of the new Swift began in January this year, it was officially launched during the 2018 Auto Expo.

Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. has announced that the India-made Swift is now being exported to South Africa. It becomes the first export product from Maruti Suzuki that is manufactured in its Hansalpur, Gujarat plant. The first lot of cars was shipped from the Mumbai Port. The Gujarat manufacturing plant is being expanded to accommodate two more production lines. Presently, it produces only the Baleno and the Swift.

The company has also shared that exports from India to international markets will rise further. The number of markets that India will cater too will go over 100 in count. On the whole, Maruti Suzuki made products will be shipped to several markets in Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. Moreover, some products will also find their way into the company’s motherland, Japan. In fiscal year 2017-18, Maruti Suzuki exported more than 1.26 lakh units. Year-on-year, that number measures at 102 per cent. In the domestic market, Maruti Suzuki finished the fiscal at its highest ever number, retailing over 16.53 lakh units. In March 2018 alone, the company closed the overall sales register at 1,60,598 units. That comprises of 1,48,582 units sold in India and 12,016 units exported to other markets.

The export number is only going to rise, with Maruti Suzuki’s Gujarat plant now joining the export line. The company commenced operations in Hansalpur in February last year, with an annual production capacity of 2.5 lakh units. A second production line is being added to double the plant’s production capacity by 2019. Another production line is also on the radar but we believe it will happen, considering how fast Maruti Suzuki’s demand of vehicles is growing in India. All three put together, Hansalpur’s facility alone could produce 7.5 lakh cars.