Looking at assembling Nano overseas: Tata Motors

Homegrown auto major Tata Motors today said it is looking to set up assembly operations for its small car Nano in overseas locations, including ASEAN region and Latin America.

While the company has already started exports of completely built units (CBU) of the Nano to Sri Lanka and Nepal earlier this year, it is considering the option of assembling the Nano abroad through export of completely knocked down units (CKD).

"There are many important markets for the Nano, like the SAARC countries, ASEAN nations and Latin American region. So we are studying those markets," Tata Motors Managing Director, India Operations, P M Telang told reporters here.

He was responding to a query on whether the company is planning to set up manufacturing plants overseas for Nano.

"Looking at the potential, we can think of the CBU route at first and later we may think of CKD operations...At present we are considering many countries for CKD for Nano but there is no timeline," Telang added.

Tata Motors had started exporting the Nano in April this year with the shipment of 498 units to Sri Lanka, the first overseas destination, at a price of 9.25 lakh Sri Lankan rupees.

Later in June, the company launched the Nano in Nepal at a price tag starting from 7.98 lakh Nepal rupees (about Rs 5.01 lakh).

In April, Tata Industries Managing Director Kishor A Chaukar had said Tata Motors was "at a very high stage" of finalising a production site for its small car Nano at an overseas location, which could be either in Latin America, Southeast Asia or Africa.

He had said the automobile major was exploring various options at different places and looking at uninterrupted supply chain for the components.