French auto major, Peugeot, is considering setting up a manufacturing facility in India and is scouting for land in Gujarat, a top state industry department official said on Wednesday.

“A delegation from Peugeot recently visited us. They have evinced interest in setting up a plant in Gujarat, for which the land requirement was told to be 150 acres,” the official told PTI.

“We have shown them a site in Bol village near Sanand, which is a proposed industrial estate, to be developed as an automotive hub by the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC), near Tata’s Nano plant,” he said.

“A final decision is expected to be taken soon by the Peugeot headquarters,” the official said.

“The government has acquired 1,200 acres of land near Sanand and land allotment for industrial purposes is expected to commence in next three to four months.”

Inward Investment Officer of Embassy of France in India, Guillaume Page, who is in the city for trade promotion, said, “Yes I have also come to know that Peugeot is looking for land in Gujarat.”

“Close to 700 companies from France are in India, engaging around 200,000 people,” he said.

“The bilateral trade with India last year stood at $ 9 billion. The target for two—way trade between both the countries is $ 12 billion by 2012,” PAGE said.

“The Indian car market is projected to be of 65 million cars by 2017,” he said.

comment COMMENT NOW