NEW DELHI: In a major embarrassment for the Punjab government and Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, BMW Group India on Wednesday said it has no plans for setting up additional manufacturing operations in the state. The state government on Tuesday had said the German luxury carmaker has agreed to set up an auto part manufacturing unit in the state. “BMW Group has no plans for setting up additional manufacturing operations in Punjab,” the automaker said in a statement.
It added, “With BMW, MINI and Motorrad, BMW Group has its sight set firmly in the premium sector of the Indian automobile market. We are committed to its Indian operations with its manufacturing plant in Chennai, a parts warehouse in Pune, a training centre in Gurgaon and a dealer network across major metropolitans of the country.” In a tweet, the government on Tuesday had said Mann showcased Punjab’s exemplary work to promote industry after which BMW agreed to set up a unit in the state. Mann had on Tuesday visited the BMW headquarters in Munich and invited BMW to collaborate with the government in the e-mobility sector.
“The efforts of CM Bhagwant Mann to rope in major investments from Germany bore fruit as leading auto giant BMW agreed to set up its auto part manufacturing unit in the state. CM showcased Punjab govt’s exemplary work to promote industry after which BMW agreed to set up unit in the state,” Punjab government had said on its Twitter handle. The government had further stated, “Buoyed over it, Mann said this will be the second unit of the company in India as already one such unit was operational in Chennai.”