Make in India Auto: Boosting India's Automotive Manufacturing Scene

When we talk about Make in India Auto, a national initiative to turn India into a global hub for vehicle manufacturing. Also known as Automotive Manufacturing India, it’s not just about assembling cars—it’s about building engines, batteries, electronics, and parts right here at home. This isn’t a slogan. It’s a shift. Since 2014, India’s auto sector has grown from being a low-cost assembler to a serious player in design, R&D, and export-ready production.

The real engine behind this change? Production Linked Incentive (PLI) schemes, government programs that reward manufacturers for increasing local output. These aren’t handouts—they’re performance bonuses. Companies like Tata Motors, Maruti Suzuki, and Mahindra get cash rewards when they make more vehicles and components in India. And it’s working. In 2024, India became the world’s third-largest vehicle producer, behind only China and the U.S. Meanwhile, Gujarat, India’s top chemical and plastics manufacturing state. Also known as India’s industrial powerhouse, supplies over 40% of the raw polymers used in car interiors, bumpers, and wiring harnesses. That’s why Tirupati Polymers and dozens of other local suppliers are now critical to the auto supply chain.

It’s not just about big names. Thousands of small manufacturers are stepping up too. From die-casting units in Pune to seat belt makers in Ludhiana, the ecosystem is expanding fast. The government isn’t just funding factories—it’s training workers, upgrading testing labs, and cutting red tape. Electric vehicles are the new frontier, and India’s making its own batteries, not just importing them. This is where Make in India Auto truly shines: turning policy into parts, and parts into progress.

What you’ll find below are real stories from the factory floor—the companies scaling up, the states winning investments, the materials making it all possible. No fluff. Just facts about who’s building what, where, and why it matters for India’s future as a manufacturing giant.