Tata Motors & China's Chery Automobile in talks to explore possible tie-ups in India:
TATA Motors and and Chinese carmaker Chery Automobile are holding talks to explore possible tie-ups, which may include sharing of vehicle platforms, getting access to the market in China for Tata Motors and even helping Chery to enter India, people with knowledge of the matter said.
Talks with Chery have been going on for the past couple of years, people close to Tata Motors said.
When the Indian automaker was working on its 2020 strategy about 12-18 months back, it had considered buying some of Chery's platforms, they said. Chinese newspaper Nanfang Daily has reported that Chery was in talks to sell the platforms of its QQ, A1 and M1 micro sedans and the A3 compact car to Tata Motors to raise capital and ease its debt burden.
"It is a very broad-ranging talk right now, with nothing specifically defined as yet," said a person close to Tata Motors.
"Teams have been visiting, but there is no direction yet as synergistic benefits are minimal," another person with knowledge of development at Tata Motors said. Chery did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment. A Tata Motors spokeswoman said "as a part of our continued explorations in key markets, we continue to have discussions for potential opportun ..