DaimlerChrysler in talks with Indian truck makers about tie-up

FRANKFURT, Germany -- DaimlerChrysler AG said Tuesday it is in talks with Indian truck makers about a possible tie-up to build vehicles in the country.

"We're in talks with several potential partners," DaimlerChrysler spokeswoman Julia Kroeber-Riel said, adding that the talks were geared toward finding an Indian company to make trucks under a local brand using DaimlerChrysler technology.

Kroeber-Riel did not identify any of the potential partners or say how long the talks might take.

But in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires earlier Tuesday, Ashok Leyland Ltd. Chief Financial Officer K. Sridharan said the Indian truck and bus builder was in talks about an alliance with global truck makers, including DaimlerChrysler, Sweden's Scania AB and Volvo AB.

Chennai-based Ashok Leyland is India's second-largest truck and bus maker by sales volume after market leader Tata Motors Ltd.

Volvo spokesman Maarten Wikforss declined to comment on Sridharan's remarks, but reiterated that Volvo has acquisition plans in emerging markets including India. Volvo previously has said it needs to gear up its medium-heavy truck sales in India.

Scania spokesman Hans-Aake Danielsson, however, said his company was not in talks with Ashok Leyland.

"We have already announced a cooperation (agreement) in India," Danielsson said, referring to the Swedish company's recent pact with Larsen & Toubro Ltd. to distribute heavy-duty trucks.

In June, DaimlerChrysler -- the world's biggest truck maker by sales -- launched its Mercedes-Benz Actros range of trucks in India, importing them from Europe