The Indian car-maker Maruti joined forces with Suzuki to develop and sell a small car for their local market. The car was based on a kei-car built by Suzuki for the Japanese market.

Suzuki introduced the seventh generation of the Alto at the 2008 Paris Motor Show, and it was the smallest member of the family but big enough to carry four adults inside.

The small-sized Alto reached its fifth generation in 1998 when Suzuki introduced it on the market and then exported it in several countries.