New Delhi, January 29:

The Indian automotive industry must invest in energy efficient and environment friendly technologies, prime minister Manmohan Singh said today.

Releasing a 10-year Automotive Mission Plan 2006-16 at his residence, the prime minister said that in light of growing global concern about climate change, developed countries must accept their due burden as they had been the biggest polluters.

Developing countries cannot be asked to take on the obligations of developed countries and must be helped in addressing the challenge of climate change, he said.

Manmohan Singh expressed the confidence that India would emerge as a major centre for the automotive industry in the coming years. He complimented the industry for steps taken to improve competitiveness of Indian brands and particularly referred to Tata Motors chief Ratan Tata and Hero Honda Motors’s Brijmohan Lal Munjal for their leadership in this regard.

Singh assured the gathering, including heavy industries minister Santosh Mohan Dev, that the government would partner progress of the industry. The Mission Plan 2006-16 is the blueprint for growth and prepared by heavy industries and public enterprises ministries in collaboration with the industry.