Passenger car exports from India dip 7% in Aug

Passenger car exports from India declined by 7.21 per cent in August, as automakers decided to focus on robust domestic market, while the international markets are yet to pick up in demand, SIAM said today.

According to figures released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), passenger car exports in August were at 37,952 units, as against 40,901 units in the same month last year.

"The decline in export is understandable, as companies have decided to focus on meeting the domestic demand," SIAM Director General Vishnu Mathur said.

Domestic car sales grew 33.24 per cent to 1,60,794 units in August, against 1,20,681 units in the same month last year.

"Moreover, the export markets are still not yet buoyant," Mathur added.

The dip in overseas shipments of car was on account of the biggest exporter from the country, Hyundai Motor India registering a decline of 12.28 per cent in August at 22,035 units, as against 25,120 units in the year ago month.

Maruti Suzuki India also saw its exports down by 18.4 per cent at 11,972 units from 14,672 units in August last year, SIAM said.

Nissan Motor India, which had started production of its hatchback Micra from the Chennai plant from this year sold 1,469 units of the car in overseas market in August.

Ford India registered an over nine-fold jump in exports at 983 units in August, compared to 105 units in the same month last year.

Although passenger car exports were down, two-wheelers continued to register robust overseas shipments.

According to the SIAM data, total two-wheeler exports from India grew by 39.17 per cent to 1,25,057 units during the month, as against 89,856 units in the year-ago period.

Motorcycle exports soared by 37.61 per cent to 1,20,275 units from 87,405 units in August last year. Scooters exports stood at 4,440 units, up 102.19 per cent from 2,196 units in the same month last year.

Three-wheeler exports grew 46.43 per cent during the month to 21,492 units from 14,677 units in August last year.