🇮🇳 The Good City Dispatch 03 | Atmanirbhar Bharat in Motion By Aditya Mendonça | Raintree Media Features | Life in Bangalore

What does Atmanirbhar Bharat look like in 2025? Sometimes, the answer isn’t in Delhi’s policy corridors, but in a bus of young entrepreneurs rolling down a highway.

“What struck me most wasn’t the scale of the factory, but the energy of the young Indians who will define how this story unfolds.”

This Thursday, with Young Indians Bengaluru, we set out to Kia Motors India’s flagship factory in Penukonda, Andhra Pradesh — a plant where Korean precision meets Indian ambition, and where locals from the district form the backbone of a seven-year-old manufacturing success story.

The journey itself — eight hours of conversation, laughter, and connection — was as much a part of the learning as the factory floor: rows of robots in sync, a workforce being skilled for Bharat, and a carmaker rewriting milestones without ever building a sedan or hatchback.

From the Seltos and Sonet to the Carnival and their upcoming EV taxi, Kia has become the fastest and youngest automaker to cross 15 lakh made-in-India vehicles — proof that India is not just a market, but a workshop for the world.

Now, look at Kia India — a global brand that’s managed to find its rhythm here with a young workforce, young leadership, and a customer base that’s equally young. It’s not just about cars, it’s about how global meets local, and how aspirations meet execution.

For me, this is where the conversation on Atmanirbhar Bharat gets interesting. It isn’t just about setting up factories or attaching a “Made in India” badge. It’s about whether we’re building an ecosystem where young entrepreneurs, young brands, and young workers can thrive together.

👉🏽 For young Indians building the future together — is Atmanirbhar Bharat a badge we wear, or a community we create?