India's auto sector eyes record festive sales; Maruti reports 50% increase, Tata and others have strong growth

India’s auto industry is experiencing a massive surge in festive sales during this year’s Dhanteras, with major automakers such as Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Hyundai Motor India posting strong customer demand, fueled by a combination of festive spirit and the impact of GST 2.0 reforms. This year’s Dhanteras period is spread over two days, starting at 12:18 pm on Saturday and extending to 1:51 pm on Sunday, giving automakers an extended delivery window to capitalize on the auspicious muhurats and increase record volumes, ANI reported. Maruti Suzuki leads with all-time high projections Maruti Suzuki is on track to record its highest ever Dhanteras sales. The company expects to reach 51,000 deliveries by Monday, September 20, an increase of nearly 23% over last year’s 41,500 vehicle deliveries. “The company has already delivered 38,500 vehicles and expects to reach 41,000 by the end of today,” said Partho Banerjee, the senior executive officer, marketing and sales of Maruti Suzuki. Banerjee attributed this increase mainly to the “GST 2.0 magic.” Since the price cut announcement, the company has seen an unprecedented response from customers, receiving 4.5 lakh bookings, including 1 lakh for small cars. Retail sales have already reached 3.25 lakh, which is a growth of over 50% over a similar period last year. “Traction is very good. Every day 14,000 bookings are coming,” added Banerjee. To manage this high demand amid vehicle shortages across models, Maruti Suzuki’s showrooms remain open late into the night, with production running even over holiday weekends, ANI reported. Strong demand for Tata Motors and Hyundai Other major automakers are also reporting strong growth, with Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd. which expects to deliver more than 25,000 vehicles during the extended Dhanteras and Diwali period, according to company chief commercial officer Amit Kamat. “This year, Dhanteras and Diwali deliveries are spread over two to three days in line with the auspicious mahurats. Overall demand has been strong, and the GST 2.0 reform has further provided positive momentum,” he told ANI. Hyundai Motor India sees a similar trend as it expects around 14,000 unit deliveries, which is around 20% higher than last year. Tarun Garg, Wholetime Director & COO of the company said, “This year Dhanteras deliveries are spread over several days as it is a Saturday. We are seeing strong customer demand,” citing the festive spirit, a vibrant market environment and the encouraging impact of GST 2.0 reforms as the main drivers for the strong customer demand, ANI reported.