Karnataka Industries Minister M B Patil has rejected claims that Honda Motor is planning to move out of the state, pointing to the company’s ongoing two-wheeler manufacturing operations, employment base and proposed electric vehicle production at Narasapura in Kolar district.
Patil was responding on Sunday to allegations by Union Minister for Heavy Industries H D Kumaraswamy that Honda was preparing to leave Karnataka. According to The Hindu BusinessLine, Patil said there had been no lapse in the State Government’s dealings with Honda and that the company had not expressed dissatisfaction with the state.
The minister said Honda had been allotted 135 acres at Narasapura in phases since 2011. The company has manufactured two-wheelers at the site since 2013 and currently produces 10,000 vehicles a day, Patil said. The facility employs more than 7,800 people, making the status of the campus significant not only for Honda’s operations but also for the industrial employment base around Kolar.
Patil also cited Honda’s separate 35-acre spare parts warehousing and distribution facility at Adinarayana Hosahalli in Doddaballapura taluk. The facility serves the southern region, linking Honda’s manufacturing presence in Karnataka to a wider supply, storage and distribution network.
The minister further said Honda was keen to enter electric two-wheeler manufacturing and planned to begin production at its Narasapura campus in the coming days. The statement places the dispute against the backdrop of an existing manufacturing operation that, according to the state government, is preparing to add electric vehicles rather than withdraw from Karnataka.
The claims and counterclaims have brought attention to the role of industrial campuses such as Narasapura in supporting manufacturing, jobs and regional logistics. Honda’s stated production capacity, employment numbers and associated warehousing facility indicate that any change in the company’s footprint would have implications beyond a single factory site, although Patil’s statement did not provide details of any proposed expansion, investment amount or production timeline for electric two-wheelers.
Patil said the State Government had maintained proper dealings with Honda and that the company had not communicated any dissatisfaction. The immediate issue remains the conflicting public statements over Honda’s presence in Karnataka, with the state government’s position being that the company continues to operate at Narasapura and is preparing for electric two-wheeler production there.
