We'll be open to looking at certain alliances

Close on the heels of Tata Motors agreeing to buy Italy's CV maker Iveco, Chennai-based truck and bus major Ashok Leyland (ALL) says it is open to forming a non-equity alliance to grow the business.

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Dheeraj Hinduja, executive chairman, ALL, tells Swaraj Baggonkar alliances in specific areas like technology development or market reach are welcome, though he doesn't foresee any equity relationships at the moment. Excerpts:

How do you view the possible revamp in the GST rates that could lower the levies?

This will stimulate demand, strengthen consumption and lead to much more economic activity and growth. We will have to see what changes in policy there are for the CV segment. We do hope that it will have the desired impact.

Will Ashok Leyland enter into newer segments?

We are constantly working on the newer segments. There might not be an immediate entry into a new segment in this financial year, but there are many segments that we are looking to enter. Last year we entered the 55-tonne electric and the 19-tonne electric segments. We are now increasingly getting traction over there.