Unworried by the storm taking the parent company apart, Awasthi is focussed on establishing DMIL as a major player in the Indian market. With demand for the Matiz zooming (up 25 per cent), the DMIL plant is getting ready to step up production.

With another $100 million investments from the parent earmarked for the Indian operations to be released in tranches beginning next year, Awasthi is sitting pretty on his apple-cart that seems to be on a roll for now.

Details about the investments including the time frame and the specific areas where the funds would be pumped in were not available but the indications were that the money would go into expanding existing capacity.

Presently, theRs 4,000 crore DMIL plant at Surajpur near New Delhi is geared for the manufacture of 72,000 cars including the Matiz, Cielo, Cielo Executive and Nexia on a 2-shift basis. Although it is operating on a single shift, the plant will move to the 2-shift mode by September to step up production to 4,000 vehicles a month as demand for the Matiz grows.

Reports on the Korean giant's restructuring plan speak of the proposal to hive off all its businesses except for six units -- all linked to the auto division (for which it has struck a memorandum of understanding with General Motors to hand over the management in exchange for three-and-a-half billion greenbacks).

Min sees an opportunity there. "Frankly speaking, so much the better for us (if the parent concentrates only on the auto business)," he said.

Awasthi did not comment directly on the fate of either the parent or the possible impact it would have on Indian operations. He, however, did remark that the auto industry was heading in the direction ofcooperation and collaboration.

While a shakeout was inevitable, players who pooled resources and skills would survive in the long run, Awasthi said. Citing the example of Toyota, he said the Japanese automaker sourced components for its tractor division from a direct competitor.

Asked about reports of a possible operational `triangle' between General Motors, Suzuki and Daewoo, he replied that alliances and cooperation formed part of "normal, very healthy business strategies" in the global scenario.

"We are aware of the environmental factors (affecting the global automart)," Awasthi said, adding that the company would be proactive in its approach to the developments as and when they took place.