Suzuki Motor has asked its India-based parts makers to operate production lines for six days a week and reserve the seventh day for equipment maintenance, Reuters reported.
The initiative aims to minimise unexpected disruptions and reduce the risk of quality issues as the automaker prepares for higher vehicle production.
The move marks the first such instruction from Suzuki to its Indian supplier network and comes as Maruti Suzuki plans to significantly expand its manufacturing capacity, targeting annual production of about 4 million vehicles by 2030, compared with roughly 2.4 million currently, two sources familiar with the plans said.
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Suzuki President Toshihiro Suzuki discussed the proposed production schedule with suppliers during a meeting in India in August, the sources said.
Maruti has since asked suppliers to sign declarations by the end of the year confirming that production lines supplying components to the automaker will not operate seven days a week.
Under the proposed arrangement, suppliers are expected to move towards operating machinery for 20 hours a day, six days a week by September 2027.
The remaining four hours each day would provide overnight downtime, while the seventh day would be reserved for maintenance, according to the sources.
The move is aimed at limiting the risk of equipment failures, workplace accidents and quality issues that could emerge as production volumes rise, the people said.
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The directive could, however, increase costs for component makers that traditionally keep machinery running continuously to maximise capacity utilisation.
Suppliers may need to invest in additional equipment and production capacity to compensate for the downtime, one source said.
The push comes as Maruti prepares new powertrain and safety technologies and seeks to shorten vehicle development timelines. Its exports to markets including Japan, Europe and the Middle East are expected to approach 500,000 vehicles in 2026, Reuters reported.
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