Car companies must up localisation, work on quality: Nitin Gadkari

New Delhi: Car makers should step up localisation and improve manufacturing quality rather than rely on imports, road transport and highways minister Nitin Gadkari said on Wednesday.

He said global automakers are increasingly using India as an export base, with the domestic two-wheeler industry shipping about 50% of its output overseas. "Major car makers have started using India as an export base," he said. Local sourcing already makes commercial sense for original equipment manufacturers, Gadkari said, adding "Indian auto parts are competitively priced and meet global quality standards, global car companies have no option but to buy from them (due to the value proposition)."

On air pollution in the capital, the minister said about 40% of pollution is caused by vehicular emissions.