Betting big on its India business, Japanese car maker Isuzu Motors Ltd. Has announced its plans to invest Rs 3,000 crore in India.

On Tuesday, the auto giant said that it was looking to make the planned investment in its Sri City, Hyderabad-based new manufacturing facility, which should become operational by 2015-16. The 107-acre manufacturing facility will have an annual production capacity of 120,000 units.

Isuzu, which currently export 60 per cent of production from Japan, foresees India as a future hub for its exports.

Takashi Kikuchi, managing director of Isuzu Motors India, said, "We believe India has a potential for becoming an export hub for Isuzu. Our target from India would be neighbouring countries, South Asia and Africa.

Kikuchi was speaking on the occasion of launch of the company's first India-manufactured sports utility vehicle MU-7.

Priced at Rs 22.3 lakh (ex-showroom, Chennai), the BS4 compliant MU-7 SUV, has been assembled at Hindustan Motors' manufacturing facility near Chennai, which will keep on producing the MU-7 and the D-Max vehicles even after the Japanese manufacturer's own facility becomes operational.