American industry groups sought punitive tariffs on Indian goods at USTR hearings, while Indian officials defended the country's manufacturing growth as demand-led and WTO-compliant.
The next many decades belong to India as the global economic powerhouse, and it will be essential to continue demonstrating policy stability, as the country aspires to be the world's manufacturing hub, Maruti Suzuki India MD and CEO Hisashi Takeuchi said on Friday.
Speculation about rising competition from global majors has led to shares of major Indian automobile manufacturers such as Mahindra & Mahindra (M&M), Maruti Suzuki India, and Tata Motors taking a hit on the BSE.
Automobile manufacturers are increasingly vocal about the mounting paperwork and delays associated with India's Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme for the automotive sector, arguing that compliance requirements are becoming as challenging as meeting technical eligibility conditions. They are pushing for a simpler, faster, and more predictable certification and compliance framework.
The auto component industry caters to automobile industry through a whole gamut of auto parts such as engine parts, body & chassis, electrical parts, drive transmission & steering parts, braking, suspension etc.
Indian auto component industry is expecting a slowdown in growth to 12-15 per cent in 2011-12 from over 34 per cent in the previous fiscal, Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India said on Tuesday.
The Indian government has allocated an additional 2 million tonnes of surplus broken rice from FCI stocks for its ethanol blending programme, while simultaneously issuing a detailed rebuttal to widespread misinformation regarding the E20 fuel, addressing concerns from water consumption to engine damage and environmental impact.
The performance of the auto component industry was impacted by moderation of vehicle sales in India in 2011-12.
It, however, conceded that 20 per cent blending of ethanol with petrol leads to 3-5 per cent lower mileage in vehicles than conventional petrol, but said the blend offers a significantly higher octane rating, superior anti-knock properties, faster combustion, better pickup, smoother acceleration, and cleaner engine operation.
Almost 30 per cent of Maruti's auto-component exports are to the US, and about half of that is facing a duty of 25 per cent and the other half 50 per cent.
'Workers are being pushed into 12- to 14-hour shifts under poor conditions. These largely leaderless protests are likely to continue.'
After a record-breaking year, India's automobile industry is entering 2026 on a relatively strong footing, with sales growth expected in the 6-8 per cent range. The outlook is underpinned by policy support, including GST rationalisation, easing monetary conditions, and income tax relief, which together are likely to improve affordability and sustain consumer demand across vehicle segments.
Auto component makers in India are bracing for a tough time. High absenteeism among workers owing to Covid-19, shortages of critical parts, and temporary closures of plants by automobile manufacturers have thrown a spanner in the works for the Rs 3.2-trillion sector, which derives 60 per cent of its revenues from automobile original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), with the balance split equally between replacement demand and exports. Car market leader Maruti Suzuki India on Saturday said it was extending the maintenance shutdown, which was from May 1 to 9, till May 16, "keeping in view the current pandemic situation". Some activities will continue in the plants.
Amid a slowdown in the automotive industry, the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India asked the government to continue providing export incentives to domestic manufacturers, while expressing concern over India's growing number of free trade agreements.
The average car price in India has increased rapidly in the last 5-6 years due to new emission regulations and demand for more spacious and comfortable cars loaded with advanced technology.
'The reported deal between the European Union and China should mitigate it (shortage) for the medium to long term. Let's wait and watch how this plays out.'
Automotive aftermarket has touched the Rs. 33,000-crore mark, but fake spare parts are costing the government Rs. 2,200 crore a year.
Auto parts exports from India may see a slight slowdown as US President Donald Trump's 25 per cent tariff could increase car prices for buyers by 8-25 per cent, thereby affecting demand, experts believe.
'There is a need for a national task force with a singular objective to increase automotive exports.'
The 17 rare earth elements that are at the centre of the current crisis are critical components of everyday products -- from cars to jet engines to electronics like smartphones and flat-screen TVs.
ACMA has estimated the value of fake spare parts in the after-market at Rs 10,500-14,000 crore.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Tuesday said it will not resume full-scale production at its Manesar plant till workers sign a 'good conduct bond', as demanded by the company to ensure there is no repeat of quality issues that have surfaced at the plant.
In about one-and-a-half to two years' time, Fiat's independent showrooms would be present in 20 cities.
Maruti Suzuki India (MSIL) said on Thursday its operations are unaffected by the global rare earth magnet shortage, but added that the situation is "uncertain and evolving". The firm said it is exploring multiple solutions to maintain continuity in operations and will notify stakeholders in case of material impact.
With the Indo-Pak dialogue in tatters and the respective armies exchanging fire across the Line of Control, an unexpected opportunity has presented itself for boosting trade between the two countries.
The auto ancillary industry - one of the worst hit due to the labour exodus - will need at least three months to get its factories up and running.
Osamu Suzuki, the man who took a risk and bet on India when no one else believed in having a viable automobile company in the country, has died at the age of 94, according to information shared by Japan's Suzuki Motor Corporation on Friday.
The Auto Component Manufacturers Association of India on Wednesday sought reduction in GST rate to a uniform level of 18 per cent for the entire automobile industry to stimulate demand and help save around 10 lakh jobs, which are at risk due to prolonged slowdown in vehicle sales.
'We have to be prepared for the larger disruption that is likely to take place.'
'From data on enquiries, we can build what we call a data lake or a data warehouse where data is classified into various cohorts and then we use AI and ML tools to predict demand down the line.'
Industry insiders in India warn that any such move in the pharmaceutical sector could be counterproductive for the US as it may face increased drug shortages if tariffs are imposed on such imports.
Days after saying that there is no need for subsidies to achieve greater penetration of electric vehicles (EVs), Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari on Monday clarified that the view is his own, but any official call on EV subsidies is not one that he can take.
Traversing from being just vehicle manufacturers to mobility solutions providers amid a raging debate over which eco-friendly technology must be incentivised, the Indian automobile industry is driving in the new year under the shadow of a slowdown in sales with the post-pandemic pent-up demand in distant memory. The shift in the auto industry -- where advanced technologies like autonomous driving, vehicle intelligence, connected features and electrification are quickly gaining traction -- will be reflected in the upcoming Bharat Mobility Global Expo in which India's flagship Auto Expo has been clubbed to be held from January 17-22, 2025 in Delhi-NCR.
Maruti being the market leader with a disproportionately high share of the passenger car market helped its component makers grow as an industry all these years and hence, the exit from a segment is a jolt if not a big setback.
Slym, 51, died after falling from a high floor of the hotel in Yannawa district, Bangkok.
With nearly 100 launches and unveils, the Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025, held in Delhi from January 17 to 22, made one thing clear to automobile enthusiasts: Electric vehicles (EVs) are the way ahead for the Indian auto market for years to come.
