According to company sources, the company will initially import these tyres from its parent company. The tyres, yet to be codenamed, will have the latest Japanese technology. "Our aim is to capture the four-wheeler market in the shortest period," the company official said.

Though the company was yet to fix the price, the company official said that the tyres imported into the country would be priced competitively vis-a-vis the prices of its rivals.

The company plans to manufacture these tyres at a later stage, depending on the response it receives from the domestic market, he added.

The official also hinted at an entry into the domestic two-wheeler segment as part of the company's future plans.

"Since our thrust at present is on the four-wheeler market, we will wait till next year to manufacturetwo-wheeler tyres in India," the official said.

According to him, the recently launched B350 ProRadial tyre with `DONUTS' (driver-oriented new ultimate tyre science) -- a comprehensive combination of tyre technologies for passenger and utility vehicles -- was introduced in Japan in 1995 and has been receiving very good response.

He said a specialised tyre for the replacement market is very popular in a short time due to its tyre value, manoevreability, safety, low fuel consumption and economical price apart from other features, he added.

Another bias ply tyre, which was launched in February for buses and trucks in Delhi, Mumbai and Indore, would be introduced all over the country in three months. Bridgestone has widest range of tyres (nearly 27), the official claimed.

Bridgestone ACC India has the single largest manufacturing facility at Indore in Madhya Pradesh.