SMC, Maruti Suzuki to set up Osamu Suzuki Centre of Excellence in India

Japanese carmaker Suzuki Motor Corporation and its India unit Maruti Suzuki India Ltd today announced a proposal to establish Osamu Suzuki Centre of Excellence (OSCOE) in India.

The announcement was made as part of the remembrance event held today at Yashobhoomi, Delhi, in the memory of Late Osamu Suzuki, former chairman, Suzuki Motor Corporation, who passed away on December 25, 2024, in Japan.

Suzuki, who led the Japanese carmaker for more than four decades, played a pivotal role in putting India on wheels by making affordable and reliable small cars in the country.

“Suzuki brought to India the Japanese concepts of manufacturing that not only led to high competitiveness but also resulted in creating more equitable, inclusive and cohesive society,” the companies said in a joint statement.

“These concepts are of deep relevance for the future growth of competitive manufacturing in India. Hence, to recognise Mr. Osamu Suzuki’s contribution towards nation-building and for wide propagation of his manufacturing philosophy that led to Maruti Suzuki’s success, this Centre of Excellence is being set up,” the statement said.

OSCOE is proposed to be located in Gujarat and Haryana, and will work towards supporting national objective of high manufacturing growth, raise the standard of component manufacturers (including tier-1, 2 & 3) to make supply chains of the country globally competitive, and build infrastructure and develop programmes in collaboration with academia and others to propagate Japanese manufacturing philosophy. “The programme would include, but not limited to formal teaching, lectures, discussions, seminars etc. Importantly, the efforts of OSCOE would go beyond automotive sector to other areas of manufacturing,” it said.

Suzuki was a visionary who played a crucial role in making car ownership accessible to the common man in India and in emergence of India as a major car producing nation in the world. His manufacturing philosophy led to the success of Maruti Suzuki and helped in the growth of globally relevant automobile component industry.

Under his stewardship, Suzuki entered India by forming a joint venture with the Indian government to produce the people's car, the iconic Maruti 800. Suzuki started production of the 800 through its joint venture company, Maruti Udyog in 1982. The first car rolled out from Maruti's Gurgaon factory on December 14, 1983. Maruti Suzuki's production volume, which stood at 20,000 in the first year, soared to over 2 million units in 2024.

Suzuki was conferred with the Padma Bhushan by the Indian government in 2007. Earlier this year, he was conferred with the Padma Vibhushan posthumously.