Ghosn said he was confident of being able to develop a $3,000 car in India with proposed partner Bajaj Auto Ltd, but said no decision has been reached yet.

Addressing a news conference at the Tokyo Motor Show, Ghosn said: "We will go ahead with it if it''s possible," adding, "But we are confident, because somebody else is already doing it."

Ghosn, who is scheduled to visit Bajaj in India early next week, said most features of the car had already been decided and the partners would aim to launch the car in 2010 so as not to fall too far behind Tata.

A senior executive at Bajaj last week said he expected the feasibility study to be ready in "six to eight weeks" while Nissan had said last month it would decide whether to develop a $3,000 car next year, though it could not say when it would be ready for launch.

Tata Motors is moving ahead with plans to launch a "people''s car" priced at Rs100,000 ($2,500), the prototype of which is expected to be ready for an auto show in India early next year.