Maruti Suzuki Exports FY2026 Rise as Japan Becomes Third-Largest Market

Maruti Suzuki is aiming to expand exports in FY2027 even as disruptions in the Middle East create uncertainty across some overseas markets. Japan has emerged as the company’s third-largest export destination, while the carmaker continues to hold a leading position among India’s passenger vehicle exporters. Chairman RC Bhargava said the company now represents almost half of passenger vehicles shipped abroad from India. He added that export volumes are expected to rise from the previous year’s level despite the challenges in the Middle East. The strategy reflects Maruti Suzuki’s effort to broaden its international footprint while reducing exposure to individual markets.

Maruti Suzuki exported a record 447,774 vehicles in FY2026, retaining its position as India’s largest passenger vehicle exporter for the fifth consecutive year. Managing director and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said the company’s vehicles are now available in nearly 120 countries through Suzuki Motor Corporation’s worldwide distribution network. The wide geographic reach gives the business greater diversification and reduces reliance on one particular region. Takeuchi said exports will remain an important part of the company’s growth strategy, with expanding international sales supporting the broader role of India within Suzuki’s global manufacturing and distribution network.

The company’s international expansion is also being supported by the start of e Vitara exports. Takeuchi said the model has allowed Maruti Suzuki to return to advanced markets including Europe and Japan, strengthening India’s role in Suzuki’s global operations. The move gives the company an opportunity to serve developed markets while building on its established export network. Japan’s emergence as the third-largest market is particularly significant because it adds another major destination to the company’s overseas business. Maruti Suzuki’s approach combines broader market coverage with new product deployment to support export growth in FY2027.

Logistics is another part of Maruti Suzuki’s export and domestic dispatch strategy. The company is increasing the use of rail transport to move vehicles, with the aim of lowering logistics expenses, reducing emissions and limiting the risk of damage during transit. Rail accounted for 26.5 percent of vehicle dispatches in FY2026, and the company expects the proportion to reach 28 percent in FY2027. Bhargava said moving cars by rail remains a priority. The railway siding at the Manesar plant is already operational and has provided cost savings and greater convenience, while also reducing the carbon impact associated with vehicle dispatches.

Maruti Suzuki is extending the same logistics approach to its newer manufacturing operations in Haryana. A railway siding is planned at the company’s Kharkhoda facility, where two production lines have already been commissioned and work is continuing on a third. The planned infrastructure is intended to support more efficient movement of vehicles as production capacity develops at the site. Together with the operating siding at Manesar, the initiative reflects a wider effort to integrate rail into the company’s vehicle distribution network. This can support cost efficiency and lower-impact transportation while the company expands production and export activity.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many vehicles did Maruti Suzuki export in FY2026?
Maruti Suzuki exported a record 447,774 vehicles in FY2026, remaining India’s largest passenger vehicle exporter for the fifth consecutive year. The company expects exports to increase in FY2027 despite challenges in the Middle East, with Japan becoming its third-largest export market. Its vehicles are sold in nearly 120 countries through Suzuki Motor Corporation’s global distribution network, helping diversify overseas demand. The e Vitara has also enabled the company to re-enter advanced markets such as Europe and Japan.

What is Maruti Suzuki’s rail transport target for FY2027?
Rail transport accounted for 26.5 percent of Maruti Suzuki’s vehicle dispatches in FY2026, and the company expects that share to rise to 28 percent in FY2027. The approach is intended to reduce logistics costs, emissions and the risk of transit damage. The Manesar railway siding is already operational, while another is planned at Kharkhoda in Haryana. The Kharkhoda facility has two commissioned production lines, with work continuing on a third line.