JCB has officially opened a new factory in India, as the company plans to further strengthen its global manufacturing presence.

With 11 factories in the UK employing more than 7,500 people, JCB first began manufacturing in India in 1979 and now claims to be the country’s leading producer of construction equipment.

The new plant marks a £100m (€119m) investment, which is set to fabricate parts for global production lines.

The new factory is located in Vadodara, near the port city of Surat on the west coast of India. Today, JCB has six factories in India.

The manufacturer said that India has been its biggest market every year since 2007, while one in two of every construction machines sold in India today is made by JCB.

The new facility, which is on a 47-acre site, will be capable of processing 85,000 tonnes of steel annually.

The new facility, which is on a 47-acre site, will be capable of processing 85,000 tonnes of steel annually.

Lord Bamford said: “In its first year of full production, JCB India manufactured just 39 machines and by next year will have made a total of half a million.

"This country is now a major engineering power and being here has transformed our business.

"It has been a fabulous success, with so much more potential for growth.

"Such progress has only been possible by continued investment and the opening of our new Gujarat facility is an important step in growing our business here and around the world.”