The company wants to make India an export hub for its motorcycles and will produce 10,000 motorcycles here.
Kawasaki is taking the next logical step of making India its export hub that will send motorcycles to Africa and Latin America. The company already has a fully owned, 10,000 sq. metre plant in Chakan, Maharashtra which produces India’s cheapest twin-cylinder bike, the Ninja 300 as well as the Ninja ZX-10R superbike.
Kawasaki through its new design department in India is also considering a Ninja 200 model for the local as well as Latin American and Africa markets. This will most likely be a naked sports but one cannot be sure as it is still early.
Kawasaki is aiming at a production capacity of 10,000 units per year in its India factory. The motorcycles manufactured here will not only be exported but will also be sold in the Indian market. The company is even looking to use locally manufactured parts for its bikes like the Ninja 250 which is sadly not on sale in India. When this happens, the cost of the bikes are expected to reduce further.
The Japanese manufacturer is also working to increase the number of dealerships it has in India. Currently, there are ten official Kawasaki dealerships here but the aim is to take it to thirty by 2020. With the company getting an amazing response after having sold-out the first lot of its India assembled ZX-10R model, the company’s spirits are surely high.
Kawasaki has even estimated that by 2020, it will be selling 5000 units in India alone. The company is also contemplating about setting up a design centre in India. They will look into the market demand and might even develop brand new models here.
Latin America and Africa are not only an important market for Kawasaki, but Indian companies like Hero and Bajaj also rely on them for the sales of their motorcycles. Because of the developing nature of these countries, the demand for low-cost motorcycles is high which is exactly what Bajaj and Hero do amazingly.
Kawasaki’s investment in India and its decision to make it an exporter of its motorcycles also show the confidence it has in the system here. The Make in India initiative has probably helped, but all we care about is the lower price that Kawasaki may put on its motorcycles in the future.
Kawasaki Ninja 200
– The possibility of a Ninja 200 cannot be ruled out
– Use of locally produced parts is also on the cards, production to reach 10,000 units
– Number of Kawasaki dealerships in India is also set to rise to thirty by 2020
Source – Nikkei.com