Harley-Davidson open to setting up India unit

Premium bike maker Harley-Davidson today said it is considering an assembly unit in India but the plan is only on the drawing-board stage at present.

"The fact is that we will certainly come to the market with our arms open. But it will depend on the domestic market conditions and performance," Harley-Davidson India's Managing Director Anoop Prakash told reporters here.

The company currently pays a 110 per cent customs duty on the import of a bike from the US.

Prakash, however, said that whenever the company decides to go ahead with its plan, it would prefer to go on its own rather than forming a joint venture with a domestic company.

"I will say at this point, not a JV. Harley-Davidson has global standards," Prakash said.

The Indian arm of Harley-Davidson may also look at setting up a few new dealerships next year.

The company, which opened its dealership in the city today, entered the Indian market after regulatory norms were eased. It had set up a target of five dealerships for this year.

While it has already set up four in Chandigarh, Delhi, Hyderabad and Mumbai, the fifth and the last one would come up in Bangalore by next month, Prakash said.