Tata Motors setting up heavy trucks unit in Myanmar

After launching the world's cheapest car, Nano, Tata Motors is looking east, towards neighbouring Myanmar, to boost its sales by setting up a truck manufacturing plant in the military ruled country.

Tata Motors, the world's fourth largest truck manufacturer and second largest bus manufacturer, will be setting up a heavy turbo truck assembly and component production factory in that country. Production is expected to start by December 2009.

Manas Kumar Mishra of Tata Motors met Myanmar's minister of energy, vice admiral Soe Thein in Naypyitaw on Thursday to finalise the first Indian truck manufacturing unit in Myanmar.

Myanmar's official newspaper, The New Light of Myanmar, said, ''Both sides discussed the speedy implementation of a heavy turbo truck assembly and component parts production factory project and starting manufacturing operations from December 2009.''

This project is part of India's cooperation with ASEAN countries and `Look East Policy' started in 1994, whereby the Indian government wants to engage in bilateral development projects such as construction of roads, power projects, oil refinery units, transmission lines, telecommunications, and Information technology services in East Asian countries like Myanmar.

Tata Motors will get $20 million (Rs100 crore) line of credit that has been sanctioned by the external affairs ministry for setting up the heavy turbo truck assembly and component production factory in Myanmar.

As part of its expansion plans in Southeast Asia, Tata Motors had inked a joint venture with Thailand's Thonburi Auto Assembly's to manufacture up to 35,000 one-tonne pick-up trucks a year over the next 3-5 years.

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