The Indian territory of Puducherry wants Taiwanese investors to turn it into a regional center for electric vehicles, reports Taiwan News media

The request comes as Taiwan is making international headlines for its production of automotive semiconductors during a global shortage.

The country’s representative in the southeast Indian city of Chennai, Ben Wang, paid a visit to Puducherry for meetings with local officials. At an investment seminar, Mayor V. Narayasamy emphasized the area’s proximity to Chennai, with the presence of a major harbor and airport.

On the Taiwanese side, Wang reaffirmed the government’s commitment to its New Southbound Policy but also noted difficulties that Taiwanese investors were encountering.

He asked Indian authorities to facilitate the acquisition of land, supplies of water and electricity, and the issuing of visas to Taiwanese staff. In closing, he invited the mayor of Puducherry to visit Taiwan.