We will make India a global workshop: PM

Lauding the automotive industry in the country for its "success beyond expectations" Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said the government would take necessary steps to realise the goal of making India a global workshop.

"All firms, Indian and foreign, are contributing to making the country an automotive and industrial powerhouse," Singh said after laying the foundation stone for the Rs 470 crore Global Automotive Research Centre here - about 70 km from Chennai.

"They have the potential to generate millions of jobs, which our youth need. The government will do whatever is necessary to realise this goal of making India the workshop of the world," he said.

The PM said that by demonstrating its flexibility in responding to customers' needs, ability to meet the challenge of competition, drive to meet global standards and ambition to be second to none, the automotive industry had succeeded beyond expectations.

The PM said the Heavy Industries Ministry was preparing an automotive mission plan for 2006-2016, to increase the turnover of the sector four-fold in the next 10 years.

The plan must address the transport needs of all sections of society particularly the poor living in rural areas and must pay attention to mass transport systems and road safety, he added.