India auto industry numbers reflect economic slowdown

ERJ Staff Report (LMH)

New Delhi - The number of cars produced in India in November was down 9 percent year-on-year, reflecting the economic slowdown in the country, according to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers.

From April - November this year, production growth was only 4.8 percent more than in 2011. Likewise, the overall growth in domestic sales during April-November 2012 was only 4.8 percent year-on-year. In November, sales grew by only 1.79 percent.

In the passenger vehicles segment, utility vehicles experienced the highest growth during April-November, rising by 61.69 percent, while passenger cars and vans saw little improvement, both growing by about 1 percent. In November, passenger car sales fell by 8.25 percent yer-on-year, SIAM said in a 12 Dec report.

In the commercial vehicles segment, medium & heavy commercial vehicles saw huge drops in the six month period ended November 2012 (-16.34 percent) and in the month of November (-33.22 percent). However, light commercial vehicles sales were up 17 percent during April-November.

Overall vehicle exports were down 4.57 percent during April-November, thanks to declines in the commercial vehicles, three wheelers and two wheelers segments, though passenger vehicle sales were up by 8 percent. In November, exports of passenger vehicles were up 24.24 percent, due to growth in the passenger cars segment, though other segments were down, including commercial vehicles with a decline of 21.5 percent.