Pune, (Maharashtra), Jan 21 (IANS): Union Minister for Heavy Industries Anant Geete Wednesday exhorted the automobile industry to face the challenges of competition and advent of new technology in the sector.

The future is full of competitiveness and the automobile industry must adopt the best technology in the world, he said while inaugurating a Symposium on International Automotive Technology - SIAT 2015 here.

Conceding that India was not the best in the auto industry, Geete expressed confidence that the manner in which we are going "we will be the number one in the industry in the world."

"Issues of environment and technology are becoming important for the auto industry and the auto sector should adopt the 'clean and green' technologies," Geete urged.

Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Make In India' slogan, Geete said it was a good tiding for the automobile industry and the government would give its full support to the industry to make it a success.

Geete inaugurated the three-day SIAT EXPO 2015 in which more than 200 companies are participating at the Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI) campus, and threw open by remote control a new Passive Safety Lab.

ARAI Director Rashmi Urdhwareshe said that fostering research and development and innovation was crucial to the development of the country's automobile industry.

In this context, six top vehicle manufacturers from China, USA, Japan, Germany, South Korea and India were invited to discuss the issue of 'international mobility beyond borders' with the outcome of the discussions to be submitted to the centre.

ARAI Preident and Ashok Leyland Managing Director Vinod Dasari, SAE International, USA's COO David Schutt and additional secretary, ministry of heavy industry and public enterprises Ambuj Sharma were present on the occasion.