Heavy Industry Minister Santosh Mohan Dev, on Thursday, said that the government should examine whether free trade agreements will deter progress of the Indian automobile industry.

“We have to see that a lot of FTAs (being signed by India) should not stand in the growth path of our automobile industry which is only 15-year-old.”

Dev was speaking at the formal inauguration of 9th Auto Expo here by Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath. Kamal Nath’s Ministry is piloting a slew of market-opening FTAs with ASEAN, European Union, South Korea and Japan.

Dev said every country has given protection to a sector in the initial period. “If we do not do it, we will end up becoming net importers,” he said.

Responding to his colleague’s anxiety over the possible adverse impact of FTAs, Mr Kamal Nath said, “We have been very cautious on protecting interests of auto sector.”  CII President Sunil Bharti Mittal was also present on the occasion,