In H2, Bajaj Auto domestic biz showing signs of incremental growth: Rakesh Sharma
Rakesh Sharma, Executive Director, Bajaj Auto, says “the export opportunity is just unfolding. We are far from seeing it getting exhausted. The scope for two-wheelers in parts of Latin America and Africa is enormous. But participating in international business is not for the faint hearted. It is not for the trader. This is for the manufacturer. This is for people who have a genuine commitment to global play. That is what Bajaj is all about. I would say the emerging markets story is far from exhausted. It holds a lot of potential still, and we are very optimistic about it. But we do not think it is going to play out very rapidly.”
We have always looked at Pune as the go-to city as a manufacturing space, especially for auto. What is so special about Pune that makes it perhaps the Detroit of India?
Pune is quite a delightful city.
First of all, it has a great climate. It lies in a rain shadow area. So it does not have torrential rains, but has lovely weather.
And that would have attracted the people first which is how the cantonment side of Pune came in. I would say that we have to credit the pioneers with the start of the industrialisation of Pune – the families of Kirloskars, Bajajs, Firodias, the Kalyanis and people like that, who came from different places and set up their industries here.
Since then, there has been a very eclectic mix. There is the corporate crowd.
The armed forces crowd; a good art and culture segment with FTII etc. So it is really a very good mix of people. And therefore, more and more people keep getting attracted to the Pune proposition.
Five years ago, less than 10% of Bajaj Auto total profits were coming from exports; that number is nearing 50% now and 46% of the total top line, according to the
