India probes Volkswagen over emissions scandal

India has become the latest country to order an investigation into Volkswagen over rigged emissions tests, a report said Friday, as a global pollution cheating scandal engulfs the embattled German auto giant.

The car manufacturer has admitted that 11 million of its diesel cars are equipped with devices that can cheat pollution tests, wiping billions of dollars off the company's market value.

Volkswagen's chief executive resigned this week and authorities in France and South Korea announced probes after US officials publicly accused the company of rigging emission tests and launched an investigation.

Indian business newspaper Mint reported on Friday that India's government had instructed top vehicle testing agency, Automotive Research Association of India (ARAI), to inspect Volkswagen cars.

"We have written, requested ARAI to look into the applicability of the matter," the daily paper quoted an unnamed government official as saying.

"We want to know that what has happened in the US could happen in India or not," they added.

ARAI will determine if the cars sold in India were the same as those in the United States and whether they were equipped with the same software that helped rig the emission tests, said Mint.

The vehicle testing agency is expected to submit its report within a week, according to the paper.

No one from the government was immediately available for comment.

Volkswagen was set to name its new CEO on Friday after Martin Winterkorn quit over the crisis.

Winterkorn stepped down on Wednesday, saying he was "shocked" and "stunned" by the revelations, accepting responsibility as CEO, even though he personally was not aware of any wrongdoing.