India ahead of China in automobile exports

Pune, Jan 17 (UNI) India has superseded even China as far as automobile exports are concerned and Mahindra and Mahindras is all set to achieve the rare distinction of being the first Indian automobile company to export the indigenous 'Scorpio' in 2008.

Union Heavy Industries Minister Santosh Mohan Dev today said that the automobile sector in the country was growing at 17 per cent, the fastest as compared to other countries.

''We have to develop advanced features and the capacity to innovate and upgrade to be in the market. The Indian consumer and the market was maturing and becoming more and more demanding,'' he observed.

Meanwhile, executive vice-president of the Society of Automotive Engineers, Mr Ray Morris said that India has surpassed China automobile exports.

''Mahindra and Mahindras would be the first automobile company to export the indigenous 'Scorpio' in 2008,'' he pointed out.

Speaking at the SIAT 2007- symposium on International Automotive Technology the Minister noted that the turnover of the country was Rs 165,000 crore around USD 34 million. He said that Rs 50,000 crore was being invested in this sector and under the National Automotive Testing and R&D Infrastructure Project (NATRIP) efforts were on to make the sector globally competitive through better research.

UNI