Make in India! Not a day goes by without hearing this term. At times officially, at times derisively… As with everything we only see through digital media, somewhere I had begun to see it as an abstract concept separated from material reality. Yesterday that changed and how. I got to see the actual manifestation of ‘Make in India’. I was able to touch it, feel it, and experience it. This happened in Delhi, where Pravaig Dynamics, a Bangalore-based startup, launched their first Electric Vehicle (EV) aptly named ‘Defy’.

True to the name, Defy does defy the well-trodden path and enters the market as a luxury SUV. Defy looks stunning. With one charge range of 500 plus KM, it takes head on some of the drawbacks traditionally associated with EVs. And what is a luxury SUV without tremendous power? Defy has you covered with two motors producing 407 hp. Defy reaches a top speed of 210 kmph and touches speed of 0 to 100 kmph in a very creditable 4.9 seconds. I can’t cover the long list of features, and it is a long list, but what stands out is the amazing ability of tech driven startups to constantly challenge the norms and push the boundaries at shocking lower pricing than traditional car makers. The starting price is less than 40 lakhs. Absolutely stunning! Do check it out.

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Additionally, in a surprise discovery for a defence enthusiast, I was thrilled to see a military reconnaissance vehicle too. The idea of a silent recon vehicle makes immense sense in military application. Hopefully we will hear about it more as the Indian Army has recently announced adoption of EVs in various roles.

Here, I would be remiss if the Modi Government did not get a mention. Right from the improvement in ease of doing business index, “Skill India” initiative, incubating a startup culture, strides in renewable energy and commitment to fight climate change, the Modi Government has provided all that makes a company like Pravaig Dynamics perfectly placed to take off. I believe governments should ideally play the role of an enabler and not enter business themselves. The results are well documented from world over. Hope India is poised to repeat the manufacturing success enjoyed by China, Japan and South Korea.

For perspective, of course I know it was just a car launch by one company. One company doesn’t make ‘Make in India’ what we need it to be. One company doesn’t decide the future of our sustainable development future. But it does take one company at a time, taking one step at a time. And for that purpose, for me, Pravaig Dynamics was ‘Make in India’ yesterday. I saw an Indian startup preparing to compete for the billions of EVs the world will need in the years to come. To me that is the future. That is a step towards a cleaner, sustainable India. Let’s dare to Defy.