Tata Motors enters Indonesia, to start local assembly in 2013

The company will foray into both passenger and commercial vehicles through its arm PT Tata Motors Indonesia, the company said in a statement.

"Indonesia is a key market for Tata Motors, which has a wide range of products from small cars to buses in passenger vehicles and from 0.5T mini-trucks to 49T heavy trucks in commercial vehicles," it added. Tata Motors is also evaluating options for setting up a manufacturing base in Indonesia to serve the country and the ASEAN region, adding commercial launch and local assembly would happen in 2013.

Significant investments will also be planned for component localisation, the company said without elaborating. On the company's product launch programme for the Indonesian market, Tata Motors Executive Director (Commercial Vehicles) Ravi Pisharody said: "Based on customer feedback, we will progressively introduce relevant passenger and commercial vehicles, backed by appropriate distribution and service infrastructure such that we are closest to our customers".

Tata Motors is also participating in the 20th Indonesia International Motor Show, starting in Jakarta on September 20.