Cut import duties on automobiles: Tata

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><root available-locales="en_US," default-locale="en_US"><static-content language-id="en_US"><![CDATA[<p>At a time when the Indian automobile industry is strongly opposing lowering of import duty in the proposed India-EU FTA, Tata group chief Ratan Tata has favoured cutting tariff on vehicles and components coming from overseas.<br><br>In an interview to the market research firm JD Power, Tata said such high import duties are unrealistic and create an artificial barrier of protection for local companies.<br><br>He also said India does "not have an automobile industry" as "we have assemblers of foreign brands" and only Mahindra &amp; Mahindra and Tata Motors actually develop and manufacture products in the country.<br><br>"...I also think that the very high rates of import duty should be reduced. They're unrealistic and create an artificial barrier to protect the manufacturers in India," Tata said.<br><br>(PTI)</p>