Tata has caught the media limelight recently by closing a deal with Ford, and purchasing its British brands Jaguar and Land Rover for $2.3 billion. In the mean time, the third largest Indian passenger automaker is also eying a project in Southeast Asia.

According to the Business Standard, an Indian business daily, Tata Group will likely get permission from Thailand’s Board of Investment (BOL - Foreign Investment Department of Thailand) for manufacturing the Nano eco-car in the country, as the Thai government would like more cars with low emissions on its roads.  

As stipulated by the BOL, Tata may need to invest at least 5 billion Thai Baht (roughly $159 million). The Indian carmaker can, in return, receive an income-tax exemption for eight years and import duty-free machinery.

The BOL’s internal meeting will be held on April 2. If it gets the go-ahead, Tata Group will be the third foreign automaker getting this kind of project in Thailand. The other two are Suzuki Motor Corporation and SIAM Nissan Automobile.