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Mauritius to invite Maruti, Telco to set up assembly units

Byas Anand in New Delhi

The Mauritius government is inviting two of India's leading passenger car-makers -- Maruti Udyog Limited and Telco -- to set up car assembling units in the island nation.

In view of the growing demand for Maruti and Telco cars in Mauritius, the government, through its foreign and trade promotion offices here, is now chalking out a programme to attract investment from these car-makers in their nation, Mauritius High Commissioner Rohit N Guttee said today.

''Maruti is presently exporting its Esteem and Zen cars to Mauritius and these fetch a good demand in the domestic market there. Besides, Telco is present with its buses and certain other cars. But we feel that there is a good untapped demand for Telco Safari in Mauritius as also its other passenger cars,'' Guttee added.

He further stated that he was planning to make a presentation before the two car majors seeking them to invest in Mauritius by way of an assembly unit. ''Even if they can not set up a manufacturing base in the country for all the models, they are most welcome to set up an asssembly unit for select models.''

Mauritius, being a free port, can also offer to act as a springboard for these companies to export its vehicles to other parts of the world, particularly Europe and Africa. Besides, the country can also offer several incentives to car-makers for setting up bases there. However, he declined to divulge the incentives.

Stating that most of the major marquees from the global automobile industry have established presence in the country, Guttee said, ''It was high time the Indian car-makers took this market seriously and made their mark here.''

Till recently, Hindustan Motor's warhorse Ambassador also commanded a reasonable market in Mauritius. ''But that market has now been taken over by the sleek models made by other car-makers.''

Guttee further stated that consumer electronics, jewellery, pharmaceuticals, information technology, printing and publishing have been identified as thrust areas where alliances could be forged between both the countries.

Investment in all key areas of modern manufacturing technology and supporting services are also encouraged in Mauritius.

''India is very strong in these sectors and it would be for mutual benefit if major players from India are willing to invest in Mauritius, we would give them all-out support for the same.''

In a bid to market Mauritius as an investment destination, the government, in association with India Trade Promotion Organisation, is organising a seven-day buyer-seller meet 'Indexpo 1999'. Business seminars and cultural activities would be organised as part of the event, beginning August 11 this year.

Participation has already been confirmed from several players from the textile, leather garments, machine tools, wooden furniture and handicraft sectors. Besides, the organisers have also invited car-makers from India to display their hot wheels at the fair.

The government is also promoting Mauritius as a tourist destination. ''While the agricultural, manufacturing and tourism sectors continue to be the mainstay of the economy, the offshore and freeport sectors are fast expanding, thus contributing to the development of a well diversified economy.''

Mauritius, he said, is now rapidly establishing a premier offshore jurisdiction in the Indian Ocean region capable of providing a wide array of quality services. By the end of 1998, around 7,000 offshore entities were registered in Mauritius. The Mauritius freeport, set up in 1992, is also fast becoming an efficient and competitive regional warehouse and distribution centre of the Indian Ocean.

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