Bengaluru, Jan 10 (IANS): Assuring that the government would come up with a new clean mobility policy, Large and Medium Industries Minister, MB Patil, on Wednesday invited a Japanese delegation to consider investing in the sector.

In a meeting with a Japanese parliamentary delegation, Patil said that the government aims to position Karnataka as the premier destination for Electric Vehicle (EV) manufacturing.

The focus will be on the entire value chain related to e-mobility from battery and cell manufacturing, component production, original equipment manufacturers, charging and testing infrastructure, to research and development, the Minister explained.

Karnataka and Japan share many similarities which include their focus on major industries like auto and auto components, engineering and machine tools, chemicals, innovation and R and D, he added.

Saying that the state would like to partner with Japan in achieving its aspiration of becoming a global manufacturing hub, he emphasised that the Japanese Industrial Township in Tumakuru district is a testimony to the long-standing industrial collaboration between Karnataka and Japan.

Further, Japan India Startup Hub, an online platform has been facilitating bridging the gap between India and Japan leading to creating synergy to promote joint innovation in both economies.

Karnataka is home to over 525 Japanese companies operating across industry sectors, with around 70 companies having active manufacturing presence in the state, Patil said.

Members of Parliament from Japan Taro, Hideto, Susumu, Kazuhiro, Consul General in Bengaluru Nakane Tsutomu, and Deputy Consul General in Bengaluru Hokuto were among those who represented the delegation.

Industries Department Principal Secretary S Selvakumar and Commissioner Gunjan Krishna were also present.