Germany-based auto component maker Robert Bosch on Monday inaugurated a new Research & Technology Center (RTC) in Bangalore and announced its plans to invest Rs 1,200 crore in India.

Peter Tyroller, a board member of Bosch said the company was committed to expanding and strengthening its footprint in Indian as the Asian country continued to play a pivotal role in the Bosch Group's growth.

Speaking on the topic, Tyroller said, "India continues to play a pivotal role for the Bosch Group and we are committed to expanding and strengthening our already broad-based footprint in the country in the years to come despite the prevalent economic situation."

He added that the company's investments would be spread across India in creating new facilities, and improving & expanding production lines.

Bosch's new R&D facility, which will focus on the Internet of Things Service (IoTS), will have a workforce of 50 people. The company believes that its IoTS would be day-to-day necessity of people as more than six billion consumer durables including cars, machines and smartphones would likely be connected to the internet by 2015.

Apart from Bangalore, Bosch has facilities in Goa, Chennai and Ahmedabad for its packaging, electrical drives and control businesses. The company's Engineering & Business Solutions centre in Bangalore already has a workforce of around 13,000 people.