Indian employees to man exhibit area of Chinese firms at Auto Expo: SIAM

Industry body SIAM on Tuesday said all Chinese companies participating at India's flagship automobile show Auto Expo have confirmed that their exhibit area would be manned by their Indian employees in the wake of coronavirus outbreak.

The biennial automobile show kicks off on Wednesday with media presentations, and will be officially inaugurated on Thursday. The expo will be open to public from February 7-12.

In a statement, Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) President Rajan Wadhera said, "None of these stalls would be manned by anybody who has come to India recently from China." He further said, "As all arrivals from China have now been stopped, there will be no visitors/delegations from China at the Motor Show 2020." India on Sunday announced temporary suspension of e-visa facility for Chinese travellers and foreigners residing in the neighbouring country and issued a fresh advisory saying anyone with travel history to China since January 15 can be quarantined.

"All Chinese companies participating at the Auto Expo – The Motor Show 2020 have confirmed that their exhibit area would be manned by their Indian employees/representatives," Wadhera said.

He further said despite no coronavirus threat directly at Auto Expo, the organisers are taking measures to make people aware of symptoms and prevention actions.

Chinese firms led by the likes of Great Wall Motor, First Automotive Works (FAW) and electric bus and mattery maker BYD have booked around 20 per cent of the total space of around 40,000 square metres at the expo.

India reported a third novel coronavirus case on Monday with another Keralite student from Wuhan University in China testing positive for the infection.

Kerala government has declared coronavirus outbreak as a 'state calamity'.