Chinese investments may turn kolkata as automobile hub

Kolkata: Chinese investments in the automobile sector can play a role in developing West Bengal as an automobile hub for eastern India, said Mr Sabyasachi Sen, State Commerce and Industry Secretary.

While Gurgaon, Pune and Chennai have already developed as important automobile manufacturing centres in the north, west and southern India, West Bengal had the potential to become an important auto-destination in the east, he said.

“We will look for assistance from Chinese two-wheeler and four-wheeler companies in this regard,” he said while addressing a seminar organised by the Bharat Chamber of Commerce on the occasion of visit of a Chinese delegation led by Dr Li Xiangsheng, Executive Governor of Hubei Province.

Other areas of investment in the State would be in electronic equipment and hardware manufacturing, infrastructure, chemical and petrochemical, and leather, Mr Sen said. Mr Mao Siwei, Consul General of China in India, said, “This is the first important delegation visiting Kolkata after the formation of the Chinese Consulate in the city.” A 100-member delegation from the Yunnan province, consisting of government officials and businessmen, would visit Kolkata on November 10, he added.