China's leading car and sports utility vehicle maker Great Wall Motor Co (GWM) is planning to enter the Indian market, following the footsteps of compatriot commercial vehicles manufacturer Beiqi Foton Motor Co.
"Officials of Great Wall Motor Co (GWM) were in Delhi last week for discussions and they have a team in India which is looking for location for a plant," Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) Director General Vishnu Mathur told reporters here today.
He said GWM is "looking for an independent entry in the Indian market" and not through any joint ventre.
Comments from the company could not be obtained as an emailed query remained unanswered.
GWM has a range of vehicles such as sedans Great Wall C50 and Great Wall C30, hatchbacks Great Wall C20R, Great Wall C10 along with SUVs such as the Haval H6, Haval H5 and Haval M4 among others.
According to the company's website, the company has an annual production capacity of 8 lakh units and it exports to over 100 countries. It has also set a sales target of 13 lakh units and production capacity target of 15 lakh units by 2015.
Beiqi Foton Motor Co (BFMC) has already signed a memorandum of Understanding with the Maharashtra government to set up a manufacturing plant entailing an investment around Rs 1,670 crore over a period of five years to produce commercial vehicles, including medium and heavy trucks and passenger carriers.
Mathur said BFMC is in the process of setting up its plant near Chakan and "has also applied for membership of SIAM." China's Great Wall Motor Co looks to enter India
