In the five years to fiscal year 2011/12 (April-March), India's domestic passenger-car sales nearly doubled, making India's car market the seventh-largest in the world. However, annual sales growth slowed to just 2.6% in 2012/13 and fell by 4.7% in 2013/14 to 2.6m units.
Car sales have so far shown some improvement in 2014/15, with total sales up by 5.2% year on year through the first five months of the year, and The Economist Intelligence Unit forecasts a partial recovery in the year as a whole. Sales growth is not forecast to return to double digits over the next five years, but should manage to average 7.9% a year.
India is the world's sixth-largest producer of vehicles, but its automotive industry has been in low gear since 2012. Slowing GDP growth, rising interest rates, sharply higher imported petrol prices owing to substantial rupee depreciation and labour disputes have taken their toll on the sector. But the industry is hoping that India's new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government will revive its fortunes.
Initial measures, including an extension of excise duty reductions, are supportive of car manufacturers but the government is also moving to encourage competition in the sector. The automotive industry's medium-term prospects are bright, and will be boosted by growth in private consumption and by demographic trends. Global carmakers are expected to increase investment in India.

Automotive report 2

Overview 2

Passenger cars 3

Commercial and other vehicles 6

Production 8

Fuel sources 9

Industry publishing schedule 11

中国科学技术信息研究所