Myanmar military ruler Senior General Than Shwe (centre) with Tata Motors plant head SB Borwankar (extreme right) in Jamshedpur on Thursday. Telegraph picture

Jamshedpur, July 29: Tata Motors Limited, Jamshedpur, today played host to Myanmar’s military ruler Senior General Than Shwe. The trip to the automobile company was part of the Senior General’s state visit.

Shwe, also the chairman of State Peace and Development Council, Union of Myanmar, was accompanied by a 24-member delegation from the country. The group arrived at Sonari airport by an IAF chopper at 11.30am.

Kolhan commissioner Sheila Rapaz Kisku and deputy commissioner of East Singhbhum Himani Pandey welcomed the delegation.

The Senior General was driven straight to Tata Motors amid tight security arrangements with senior police officers, including city SP Jatin Narwal, escorting him. Over 200 policemen were deployed at Tata Motors.

The delegation was taken on a tour of the world truck manufacturing facility. Senior officials like plant head S.B. Borwankar accompanied them and explained the features of the unit.

The high-profile guests also visited the facility where chassis of the trucks are tested before delivery. They also took a look at the apprentice shop, which was recently renovated, during the two-hour visit.

The other stops were the company’s general office and HV Transmission Limited, a subsidiary of Tata Motors.

Refusing to divulge much, Captain P.J. Singh, a spokesperson of Tata Motors, said Senior General Shwe had wanted to visit the company.

Notably, in March 2009, Tata Motors had signed a turnkey contract with Myanmar Automobile and Diesel Industries Limited, an enterprise under the Myanmar’s industry ministry, for setting up a heavy truck plant in the country.

The plant is being set up under line of credit (LoC) from the Indian government.

Sources at Tata Motors said the facilities planned at the Myanmar plant included a highly flexible chassis and frame assembly line along with a cab manufacturing, painting and trimming set-up.

The plant is expected to become operational by the last quarter of 2010-11, with the capacity of producing 1,000 vehicles per year.

Senior General Than Shwe was on a five-day trip to India. He left for Calcutta this afternoon on his way back to Myanmar.