 Hello and welcome to e4m talk show. We have today with us, Partho Benerji, the new senior executive officer, sales and marketing Maruti Suzuki India. A very warm welcome to you Partho and congratulations on your new role. Good morning, Kanchana. It's pleasure to meet you on the Saturday morning. So we are interacting for the first time and I learned this is your first ever interview to any media house after assuming this position. So thank you for being so generous to e4m. It's my pleasure. Partho, you have taken over at a time when the auto industry has witnessed a muted growth as per father's latest report. The PV sales fell 6% year on year in March. I would like to know from you how has Maruti fared in this month and what are your projections for the new fiscal year that has begun? Kanchana, in the month of March actually we did better than the competition. We had a growth of 15% year on year whereas the competition grew by 6.8%. But there is one caveat actually. I would like to tell you whatever the growth which we are seeing in the month of March, that is not the right reflection for the next financial year. There are reasons for it. First of all, the last year the base was less. So the base effect is going to come in this financial year. Second, there was a shortage of the components like semiconductor due to which there was a pent up demand in the market. So I don't see that there is any reason that why there should be a very high growth in this financial year 24-25. So as you said rightly, the forecast which is there of a single digit growth for this financial year, so it will be a muted growth this financial year. You mentioned about semiconductor shortage. How are we going to address it? So right now I think that it's over now. We are overcome that so the semiconductor shortage and other thing that is all passing out. So I don't see any reason that this year there is going to be any shortage of semiconductors. So supply will not be a constraint actually. So, Parthu, Tata Motors have just ended Maruti's 7 year run as India's most valuable auto firm. What are your top priorities and challenges at this point of time? See, first of all, we respect our competitors. So I have a huge respect for Tata Motors and I think they are doing a good job. But I firmly believe India is a very big market and there is space for all players to operate on. And we have been the market leader for last four decades. And the very important thing which I feel is to focus on the customer experience, the CX part of it. Be relevant to the customer in terms of product, in terms of providing him the services and understanding their needs. So my first priority is to work on the customer experience part of it, CX. If you are able to really connect with my customer, I can retain them in my fold. I think rest all will follow. And by the way, automobile business is a long-term business. We should not see any short-term perspective. So we have a good connect with our customers and I feel we need to further strengthen it. But the new fiscal year has just begun and we are keen to understand your marketing plans and budget for this year. Oh, concern. It's too early for me. I have just taken over. So I thought it would be more of a meet and greet meeting. I am just going through it. So maybe I will have more interactions with you the next time and surely I will be sharing with you. But yes, we are going to be relevant to the brand based on the brand philosophy, the target customer, the relevant media drivers will be used to reach to the customer. But broadly, I surely like to know whether you have any plans to increase digital media advertisement, which has been driving the Maruti's growth over the past two years. Concern, I think today digital is not something separate as a part of the media plan actually. It is very much indicated as a part of the overall media plan. I think last year we almost, our screens were close to 35 to 37% of our total marketing budget was a digital. So I may be little more plus fine as one or two percent here and there. So it's a very important role and I think it's more of an efficiency part of it by which we are able to reach to the right customer and can convey the appropriate message actually. So digital is going to play a major role, even in this financial year also. But if you ask me what are the allocations and other things, I need to look into that. How do you plan to leverage big media properties like IPL, which is ongoing, general elections are ongoing? And there are five state elections as well. And I think very soon we are going to have World Curve and Olympics in the next two, three months. Everything is lined up in the first four, five months of this fiscal. What are your plans? Kanjan election plays a very good role in terms of reaching to the rural markets actually. And almost over close to 43% of our sale comes from the rural market. So election is going to be a very good, I think, the conduit for us to reaching to these customers. At the same time, IPL is another thing we are already present actually. And we use these big properties to basically reach to the customer, depending on the type of campaigns which we are going to do. So you mentioned about general election, how you are planning to leverage elections. I mean, you said you have the big market in rural parts, but how exactly you are planning to leverage elections and are you going to allocate certain amount of funds for campaigns during the elections? The Kanjan, the team is working on it, our media team is working on it and they are making the plans actually. So we are going to leverage that appropriately. Any projections for the election period? Today, I wouldn't be able to give any numbers Kanjan, let me be very honest with you. So the team is working and they will be presenting to me. So maybe some other time, surely we can discuss on that. Yeah, sure. So Part 2, we have seen recent reports that suggest that OTT players and even short video apps, they are losing users. Do these reports impact your advertising plans on these platforms? As per my media team, as per them, actually, I think it doesn't impact Maruti much. But nevertheless, we are keeping a very close watch and we are watching and we will be taking a call if something goes wrong. Can we ask your expansion plans and how do you plan to launch e-leaders? First of all, we are not supposed to share Kanjan. Any foretaste and other thing, being a listed company, I think you will appreciate that. But yes, long term, I can surely share. By 2030, the auto industry is supposed to reach to a volume of 6 million cars. And we being the market leader are aiming for 50% market share. So we are going to have a pie of 3 million. But another 3 million will be there for all other other players also. And within this 3 million, our take is this, that it's not only going to be the EV, but there will be other power trains also, which will play a major role. Hybrid will be 25%. EV will be 15%. So our take is this given take by 2030, we are going to be around 15 to 17% contribution will be coming from the EV. And we are going to launch six models by the year 2030. Thank you so much, Patu, for talking with us. Thank you, Kanjan. It was a pleasure talking to you. Have a good day. Bye-bye.