Asia's New Car Industry Hub

Most people think of China or Japan as the most prominent auto manufactures in Asia. That has certainly been the case for the past years but now the country of India is becoming a major manufacturing hub for the continent. Nissan’s Indian factory is less than a year old and covers 600 acres making it one of the company’s largest plants worldwide. Nissan is just one of the many major Asian auto companies that have set up manufacturing hubs in India.

After a short drive down a congested highway in India, you will pass the facilities of the other major auto companies including Hyundai, Samsung, and Mitsubishi. India is a rapidly growing market making it very important for global auto manufacturers. These large manufacturing hubs in India are not just hoping to capture the local market. Companies are also using India as a hub for products aimed at overseas markets. Auto manufacturers in India are exporting their products all across the world to places like Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. India’s increasing opportunities and rapidly growing economy, has made India home to large numbers of auto manufactures.

India is usually known as an information technology superpower but it has a long tradition of manufacturing that has gone unnoticed over the years. Sundram Fasteners, a 100 year old company, has manufactured auto parts for years and is a major supplier to global auto companies such as General Motors, Chrysler, and Ford. The company opened a factory in China six years ago hoping to develop the Chinese market. This past year, the company began making profits in China, a remarkable feat considering the problems other foreign companies are experiencing in China. This is only one of the many Indian manufacturing companies that have India growing at a rapid pace. India’s new role and relationship with Asia could well determine the course of the global economy in years to come.