NEW DELHI, June 21 (Reuters) - Tata Motors Ltd , India's largest truck and bus maker, has won a licence from the government to manufacture defence-related vehicles such as troop carriers, a newspaper reported on Monday.
The Business Standard, quoting unnamed sources, said the licence also covered the manufacture of light armoured multi-role vehicles, special attack surveillance vehicles and high mobility vehicles.
The report said the permit was an assurance that the government would buy such vehicles from Tata Motors or allow the firm to export them to friendly countries. Currently, the government sources these vehicles mainly from countries such as Russia and Israel, or from state-run defence establishments.
Company and government officials could not be reached for comment.
The Tatas, India's second-largest private business group, already generates about five billion rupees ($110 million) of its more than $12 billion sales from the defence sector.
The group, whose interests range from software development to steel and salt, has a target to procure $438 million of defence-related business by 2008, the paper said.
Tata Motors' rivals such as Ashok Leyland Ltd , India's second-largest truck maker, and Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd are also established suppliers to India's defence forces. ($1=45.65 rupees)