Following the inauguration of Maruti Suzuki India’s Kharkhoda manufacturing facility, the senior leadership of Suzuki Motor Corporation and Maruti Suzuki visited two of the company’s flagship corporate social responsibility (CSR) institutions focused on skill development and road safety.
Suzuki Motor Corporation, Representative Director & President, Toshihiro Suzuki, and Maruti Suzuki India Ltd, Managing Director & CEO, Hisashi Takeuchi, along with the company’s senior management, visited the Japan-India Institute for Manufacturing (JIM) in Manesar and the Institute of Driving and Traffic Research (IDTR) in Bahadurgarh.
Focus on manufacturing skills
At the JIM campus in Manesar, the leadership team interacted with students and reviewed the institute’s training ecosystem, which is designed to equip young talent with industry-relevant technical skills, Japanese manufacturing practices and a culture centred on quality, safety, discipline and continuous improvement.
Maruti Suzuki said the institute prepares students for advanced manufacturing through a blend of classroom learning and practical industrial exposure.
Road safety remains a priority
The delegation later visited the IDTR in Bahadurgarh, which provides structured driver training and road safety education. Maruti Suzuki said its IDTRs play a key role in developing safe driving practices by offering training programmes for learner drivers, commercial vehicle operators, police personnel, corporate employees, students and other road users.
‘Human development is the foundation of Viksit Bharat’
Suzuki Motor Corporation Representative Director & President Toshihiro Suzuki, said the inauguration of the Kharkhoda plant by the Prime Ministers of India and Japan has further strengthened Suzuki’s responsibility towards India’s development.
“It was the greatest possible honour for Suzuki in India when both the Hon’ble Prime Ministers of India and Japan inaugurated our Kharkhoda plant yesterday. This places even more responsibility on us to recommit and rededicate ourselves to Viksit Bharat. The foundation of this is human development. I immediately decided to visit today our institutes for road safety – IDTR in Bahadurgarh and for skill development JIM in Manesar,” he said.
Four Japan-India Institutes for Manufacturing
Maruti Suzuki has established four Japan-India Institutes for Manufacturing at Manesar and Sonipat in Haryana, and Mehsana and Gandhinagar in Gujarat.
The institutes are recognised by the National Council for Vocational Training (NCVT), India, and accredited by Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). They follow the Dual System of Training (DST), combining classroom education with paid industry training for seven months every year under an “earn while you learn” model.
The curriculum focuses on advanced manufacturing techniques, Japanese production systems and soft skills aimed at improving employability.
Eight IDTRs have trained over 55 lakh drivers
Maruti Suzuki has established eight IDTRs in partnership with six state governments to strengthen road safety and driver education.
The centres feature advanced driving simulators, test tracks and specialised training programmes for light and heavy motor vehicle drivers, two-wheeler and three-wheeler riders, forklift operators and earth-moving equipment handlers.
According to the company, the IDTR network has trained more than 55.23 lakh individuals since inception, including commercial drivers, police personnel, students, corporate employees and tribal youth.
Maruti Suzuki said its continued investments in skill development and road safety align with the national objectives of Make in India, Skill India and Viksit Bharat @2047.