Maruti [Get Quote] Suzuki India Ltd, the country's biggest carmaker, will start designing cars in India by 2010, for which it has sent close to hundred employees for training in Japan, a senior company official said on Monday.

"We are training about 100 people in research and development area at Suzuki Japan. They have been sent to Japan for two years and would come back in batches between 2008-10," Maruti Suzuki India's executive director (HR) S Y Siddiqui told PTI.

The training includes hardcore designing as well as developing research-related capabilities and is aimed at enabling the company to start designing cars in India by 2010, Siddiqui said.

The official said most of the current human resources investments and training activities were targeted for the year 2010.

"Plants can be set up at any given time, but for their efficient functioning, the employees' skills, behavioural patterns and leadership qualities are a must," he noted.

Maruti Suzuki is targeting to sell one million cars every year by 2010, according to the company's newly appointed MD and CEO Shinzo Nakanishi, who will assume the top position from Jagdish Khattar on December 19.

Nakanishi said earlier this month that the company would invest Rs 1,750 crore (Rs 17.50 billion) in setting up a research and development wing at Manesar over the next three years.

MSIL, in collaboration with its parent Suzuki Motor Co, has already developed a new concept hatch - A-Star � which would be displayed for the first time during the upcoming Auto Expo in January.