From Ford Motor to Harley-Davidson, why US automakers stalled in India

Failure to read the market and taxes favouring small cars made some of the most storied names in the global automobile industry fail in the world's fifth-largest market

Besides their country of origin, General Motors, Ford Motor and Harley-Davidson have another trait in common: all three have failed in India, the world’s fifth largest automobile market. All three of them took a tough call to de-prioritise India as a market amid disruption from heightened regulations and sharper focus on capital allocation by the parent.

The restructuring announ­ced by Ford in India last week brings back the spotlight on why India’s auto market has rema­i­n­ed an enigma for global auto ma­jors, particularly those from the USA.  Why is it that in the very same market that Asian companies have