MARUTI

Adds details from paragraph 2 onwards

May 21 (Reuters) - India's Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS will increase the prices of its vehicles by up to 30,000 rupees ($311.85) from next month, the country's top carmaker said on Thursday, as inflationary pressures and an adverse cost environment persist.

The Middle East conflict has disrupted global trade routes and energy markets, driving up prices of key inputs and pressing companies to pass on higher costs to customers.

With inflationary pressures now at elevated levels and the adverse cost environment persisting, the company has to pass on a portion of the increased costs to the market, it said in a statement.

The price hike will vary by model as Maruti, a unit of Japan's Suzuki Motor 7269.T, seeks to offset sustained increases in input costs.

Maruti joins peers Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles TAMO.NS, Mahindra & Mahindra MAHM.NS and Hyundai Motor India HYUN.NS, all of which announced price hikes earlier.

Last month, Maruti warned of potential impact on demand for price-sensitive entry-level cars if petrol prices rise.

Indian state-run suppliers raised petrol and diesel prices by around 4 rupees a litre last week. Although prices are deregulated in India, the government exerts significant influence on prices as the majority shareholder of the key retail companies.

($1 = 96.2000 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Urvi Dugar in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Janane Venkatraman)

((UrviManoj.Dugar@thomsonreuters.com; +91 9558725583;))

May 18 (Reuters) - Maruti Suzuki India Ltd MRTI.NS:

• MARUTI SUZUKI - COMMENCES COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION AT SECOND KHARKHODA PLANT WITH 250,000 UNITS CAPACITY

Source text: ID:nBSE1Bf95N

Further company coverage: MRTI.NS

((Reuters.Briefs@thomsonreuters.com;))

May 14 -

• INDIA'S APRIL TOTAL DOMESTIC PASSENGER VEHICLE SALES UP 25.4% Y/Y -INDUSTRY BODY

• INDIA'S APRIL TOTAL DOMESTIC PASSENGER VEHICLE SALES AT 437,312 UNITS - INDUSTRY BODY

• INDIA'S APRIL TOTAL TWO-WHEELER SALES UP 28.4% Y/Y AT 18,72,691 UNITS - INDUSTRY BODY

• INDIA AUTO INDUSTRY BODY SIAM SAYS THOUGH THERE ARE CONCERNS OF HIGH COMMODITY PRICES DISRUPTIONS IN WEST ASIA, INDUSTRY WITNESSING GOOD DEMAND

Source text: [ID:]

May 6 (Reuters) - Bharat Seats Ltd BSTS.NS:

• BHARAT SEATS- APPROVED CAPEX OF ABOUT 866.1 MILLION RUPEES FOR NEW PROGRAMMES OF MARUTI SUZUKI INDIA

Source text: ID:nBSE8KRzXP

Further company coverage: BSTS.NS

((Reuters.Briefs@thomsonreuters.com;;))

Rewrites throughout with industry executive's comments, background

By Kashish Tandon

BENGALURU, May 5 (Reuters) - India's auto dealerships are bracing for potential ripple effects from the ongoing Middle East conflict on fuel prices and supply chains, a senior industry official said on Tuesday, after retail vehicle sales hit a record for April.

Disruptions linked to the conflict have been limited so far in the world's third-largest car market, but could start affecting auto part supplies over the coming months if the instability persists, Sai Giridhar, vice president of the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations, said in an interview.

"There have been some instances of supply getting disrupted, particularly in parts shipments coming from Europe, mainly in the after-market and service side," Giridhar said.

While the impact is not broad‑based, the repercussions could last for a few months even if the conflict were to end, he said.

The comments reflect wider concerns about a prolonged Iran war and the consequent energy shock hitting growth and raising inflation in the world's most populous country. Industry leader Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS has warned it could raise prices as the war pushes up commodity costs.

India's auto sector has been in a good spot over the last few months, as last September's tax cuts have made cars more affordable, with easier financing conditions and strong demand from towns and rural areas.

However, margins are likely to come under pressure, analysts have said, as rising steel, aluminium and freight costs tied to the war hit the bottomline.

For now, a potential sharp rise in fuel prices remains a key risk for consumer sentiment, Giridhar said.

Indian state refiners have raised prices of liquefied petroleum gas for industrial customers and jet fuel sold to foreign carriers, but prices of gasoline, diesel and cooking gas have not been raised for domestic customers.

Overall retail vehicle sales in April rose 12.9% year-over-year to a record high of 2.6 million units for that month, data released by the auto body showed.

Car sales in rural India jumped 20.4%, nearly three times the urban growth of 7.1%, driven in part by a revival in small-car sales.

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru; Editing by Mrigank Dhaniwala and Dhanya Skariachan)

((Kashish.Tandon@thomsonreuters.com; 8800437922;))

** Maruti Suzuki India MRTI.NS shares climb 4% to 13,860 rupees

** India's top carmaker posts 33.3% Y/Y rise in April total sales, led by 35.5% jump in domestic passenger vehicle sales and 43.5% surge in exports

** Stock is second-biggest gainer on auto index .NIFTYAUTO and benchmark Nifty 50 .NSEI, which are up 2% and 0.98%, respectively

** Last week, the carmaker reaffirmed confidence in strong demand for its small cars and outlined plans to add 500,000 units of capacity by the end of FY27 through an investment of $1.24 billion

** Avg rating of 37 analysts on MRTI at "buy"; median PT is 16,080 rupees - LSEG-compiled data

** YTD, however, MRTI down 16.9%, worst performer on auto index, which is down 6.2%

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru)

((Kashish.tandon@thomsonreuters.com))

May 1 (Reuters) - Maruti Suzuki India Ltd MRTI.NS:

• MARUTI SUZUKI - DOMESTIC SALES HIT RECORD 191,122 UNITS IN APRIL 2026

• MARUTI SUZUKI - SOLD A TOTAL OF 239,646 UNITS IN APRIL

Source text: ID:nBSE92N4gD

Further company coverage: MRTI.NS

((Reuters.Briefs@thomsonreuters.com;))

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own.

By Shritama Bose

MUMBAI, April 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The jobs crisis stirring in India’s vast outsourcing industry spells trouble for the country’s $4 trillion consumption-led economy. With the gap between household income and spending already widening, the consequences of the churn on finance and markets will be far-reaching.

White collar jobs are starting to disappear in the world’s services capital where many global firms employ thousands of staff in global capability centres that are responsible for everything from back-office functions to fraud detection to critical research and development.

Following the launch of artificial intelligence tools by Anthropic and others that allow companies do the same amount of work with fewer people, Oracle ORCL.N laid off 10,000 workers, or one-fifth of its India workforce in March, and Amazon.com AMZN.O let go of 500 people in the country in January, the Economic Times reported, citing sources. It looks like just the beginning of the headcount reductions.

One executive of a global bank told Reuters Breakingviews their workforce in India could shrink by one-third. This could happen quickly within just one or two years because of the double digit attrition rates at offices of global firms in cities including Bengaluru, Gurugram and Pune. JPMorgan Chase JPM.N has a whopping 55,000 employees in the country, which equals about one-fifth of its total workforce and includes one-third of all its technologists; HSBC’s HSBA.L 47,000 local employees make up 23% of its global headcount.

Then there is also “AI deflation” – the term Indian IT firms that typically lap up fresh graduates use to refer to slowing revenue growth. Annual revenue in U.S. dollar terms at industry leader Tata Consultancy Services TCS.NS shrunk for the year ended March 2026, marking the first decline since the $97 billion company's initial public offering ​in 2004.

Altogether, global capability centres and the IT sector employ up to 15 million people who anchor India’s middle class and whose jobs are under threat from generative AI, Bernstein analysts Venugopal Garre and Nikhil Arela said last week in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Though this is a small fraction of India’s 616-million-strong workforce comprised mostly of swathes of informal and agricultural workers, the AI vulnerable cohort represents a sizeable chunk of the employed within the rising middle class. With fewer jobs, there will also be pressure on salaries for those who keep theirs.

For India, advances in generative AI are intensifying the intractable challenge of creating enough jobs in a country that skipped over the traditional manufacturing route and where 8 million people enter the workforce each year. Modi's push to drive manufacturing isn’t softening the blow much either, thanks to factory automation.

There are already signs that India’s world-beating 7.8% growth is decoupling from employment generation: New Delhi’s latest Economic Survey notes that since 2022 – the same year that OpenAI launched ChatGPT -- the labour intensity of output has marginally declined. That rupture will deepen unless workers upskill, the survey says, with the change coming “not in a single shock, but in a quiet, steady drift”.

This threatens a blow to spending on what people want, rather than what they need. Private consumption accounts for about 60% of GDP and the top 140 million Indians who on average each earn roughly $15,000 per annum, according to Blume Ventures, drive two-thirds of discretionary spending.

Any contraction in their incomes could force them to cut back, hitting sales of goods from new homes to cars and demand for experiences from dining out to live events. There will be a ripple effect too: Middle-class homes in India employ cooks, cleaners and drivers.

Demand for their services, and those of India’s vast gig economy servicing the middle class, would recede. That puts at risk earnings of carmakers, consumer groups and financial services providers which, together with Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries RELI.NS – the owner of India’s largest retailer - account for nearly 62% of the benchmark Nifty 50 index .NSEI. Sluggish consumption is already hurting some of them: small car sales slowed at Maruti Suzuki India MRTI.NS last year and Unilever's ULVR.L Indian unit has been grappling with weak urban demand.

A potential 30% reduction in the 15-million-strong outsourcing and global capability centre workforce over the next two years could shrink the top consuming class by about 5 million to 135 million.

Assuming Blume Ventures' annual income estimate of $15,000, this cohort's total spending power stands to fall by roughly $75 billion a year, assuming those people don't find other employment or sources of income. That's equivalent to 10% of the Nifty 50 constituents’ net sales of 71.3 trillion rupees ($755 billion) for the financial year ended March 2025, per data from the National Stock Exchange.

Overall household savings are already declining as indebtedness mounts: Indians saved barely 23% of their personal disposable income in the financial year to March 2025, according to an estimate by CLSA, down from nearly 30% two decades earlier. Debt as a share of disposable income surged to 55% from 31% over the same period.

While India’s household debt to GDP ratio is much lower than for most peer economies, meagre earnings mean Indians end up spending 13% of their income on repaying borrowings, higher than 8.5% for China and 8% for the US.

Much of what Indians borrow goes towards financing consumption rather than creating assets. Households are leveraging up to pay for everything from overseas vacations to weddings and smartphone purchases.

Such financing, which the Reserve Bank of India calls non-housing retail loans, makes up 55% of household obligations and is growing faster than mortgages. India's household debt to GDP ratio stands at 41.9%. If half of those borrowings are consumption-linked, it implies household discretionary debt amounts to roughly 21% of GDP. Apply that to India’s nominal GDP of 331 trillion rupees for 2024-25 and you have at risk loans worth 69 trillion rupees across the country’s banks and non-bank lenders.

This threatens the loan quality at financial institutions led by the $130 billion HDFC Bank HDBK.NS as well as lenders backed by global investors from Sumitomo Mitsui Financial 8316.T to Blackstone BX.N who are accelerating their expansion in India to tap retail credit demand.

The impact of AI on the global workforce may ultimately create more jobs. First, though, it may turn India’s already weak consumption and much-vaunted demographic dividend into a nightmare.

Follow Shritama Bose on LinkedIn and X.

(Editing by Una Galani; Production by Aditya Srivastav)

((For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can click on BOSE/shritama.bose@thomsonreuters.com))

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own.

By Shritama Bose

MUMBAI, April 30 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The jobs crisis stirring in India’s vast outsourcing industry spells trouble for the country’s $4 trillion consumption-led economy. With the gap between household income and spending already widening, the consequences of the churn on finance and markets will be far-reaching.

White collar jobs are starting to disappear in the world’s services capital where many global firms employ thousands of staff in global capability centres that are responsible for everything from back-office functions to fraud detection to critical research and development.

Following the launch of artificial intelligence tools by Anthropic and others that allow companies do the same amount of work with fewer people, Oracle ORCL.N laid off 10,000 workers, or one-fifth of its India workforce in March, and Amazon.com AMZN.O let go of 500 people in the country in January, the Economic Times reported, citing sources. It looks like just the beginning of the headcount reductions.

One executive of a global bank told Reuters Breakingviews their workforce in India could shrink by one-third. This could happen quickly within just one or two years because of the double digit attrition rates at offices of global firms in cities including Bengaluru, Gurugram and Pune. JPMorgan Chase JPM.N has a whopping 55,000 employees in the country, which equals about one-fifth of its total workforce and includes one-third of all its technologists; HSBC’s HSBA.L 47,000 local employees make up 23% of its global headcount.

Then there is also “AI deflation” – the term Indian IT firms that typically lap up fresh graduates use to refer to slowing revenue growth. Annual revenue in U.S. dollar terms at industry leader Tata Consultancy Services TCS.NS shrunk for the year ended March 2026, marking the first decline since the $97 billion company's initial public offering ​in 2004.

Altogether, global capability centres and the IT sector employ up to 15 million people who anchor India’s middle class and whose jobs are under threat from generative AI, Bernstein analysts Venugopal Garre and Nikhil Arela said last week in an open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Though this is a small fraction of India’s 616-million-strong workforce comprised mostly of swathes of informal and agricultural workers, the AI vulnerable cohort represents a sizeable chunk of the employed within the rising middle class. With fewer jobs, there will also be pressure on salaries for those who keep theirs.

For India, advances in generative AI are intensifying the intractable challenge of creating enough jobs in a country that skipped over the traditional manufacturing route and where 8 million people enter the workforce each year. Modi's push to drive manufacturing isn’t softening the blow much either, thanks to factory automation.

There are already signs that India’s world-beating 7.8% growth is decoupling from employment generation: New Delhi’s latest Economic Survey notes that since 2022 – the same year that OpenAI launched ChatGPT -- the labour intensity of output has marginally declined. That rupture will deepen unless workers upskill, the survey says, with the change coming “not in a single shock, but in a quiet, steady drift”.

This threatens a blow to spending on what people want, rather than what they need. Private consumption accounts for about 60% of GDP and the top 140 million Indians who on average each earn roughly $15,000 per annum, according to Blume Ventures, drive two-thirds of discretionary spending.

Any contraction in their incomes could force them to cut back, hitting sales of goods from new homes to cars and demand for experiences from dining out to live events. There will be a ripple effect too: Middle-class homes in India employ cooks, cleaners and drivers.

Demand for their services, and those of India’s vast gig economy servicing the middle class, would recede. That puts at risk earnings of carmakers, consumer groups and financial services providers which, together with Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries RELI.NS – the owner of India’s largest retailer - account for nearly 62% of the benchmark Nifty 50 index .NSEI. Sluggish consumption is already hurting some of them: small car sales slowed at Maruti Suzuki India MRTI.NS last year and Unilever's ULVR.L Indian unit has been grappling with weak urban demand.

A potential 30% reduction in the 15-million-strong outsourcing and global capability centre workforce over the next two years could shrink the top consuming class by about 5 million to 135 million.

Assuming Blume Ventures' annual income estimate of $15,000, this cohort's total spending power stands to fall by roughly $75 billion a year, assuming those people don't find other employment or sources of income. That's equivalent to 10% of the Nifty 50 constituents’ net sales of 71.3 trillion rupees ($755 billion) for the financial year ended March 2025, per data from the National Stock Exchange.

Overall household savings are already declining as indebtedness mounts: Indians saved barely 23% of their personal disposable income in the financial year to March 2025, according to an estimate by CLSA, down from nearly 30% two decades earlier. Debt as a share of disposable income surged to 55% from 31% over the same period.

While India’s household debt to GDP ratio is much lower than for most peer economies, meagre earnings mean Indians end up spending 13% of their income on repaying borrowings, higher than 8.5% for China and 8% for the US.

Much of what Indians borrow goes towards financing consumption rather than creating assets. Households are leveraging up to pay for everything from overseas vacations to weddings and smartphone purchases.

Such financing, which the Reserve Bank of India calls non-housing retail loans, makes up 55% of household obligations and is growing faster than mortgages. India's household debt to GDP ratio stands at 41.9%. If half of those borrowings are consumption-linked, it implies household discretionary debt amounts to roughly 21% of GDP. Apply that to India’s nominal GDP of 331 trillion rupees for 2024-25 and you have at risk loans worth 69 trillion rupees across the country’s banks and non-bank lenders.

This threatens the loan quality at financial institutions led by the $130 billion HDFC Bank HDBK.NS as well as lenders backed by global investors from Sumitomo Mitsui Financial 8316.T to Blackstone BX.N who are accelerating their expansion in India to tap retail credit demand.

The impact of AI on the global workforce may ultimately create more jobs. First, though, it may turn India’s already weak consumption and much-vaunted demographic dividend into a nightmare.

Follow Shritama Bose on LinkedIn and X.

(Editing by Una Galani; Production by Aditya Srivastav)

((For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can click on BOSE/shritama.bose@thomsonreuters.com))

Updates to fix formatting, no changes to text

April 28 (Reuters) - Maruti Suzuki reported a surprise drop in quarterly profit on Tuesday, missing estimates, as rising costs and a sharp fall in other income offset gains from a tax cut-led recovery in vehicle demand in India.

Indian carmakers, which benefited from a recovery in demand after September tax cuts lifted showroom traffic and supported pricing in small cars and SUVs, are now facing margin pressure from rising costs despite record sales.
The Swift maker posted profit of 35.91 billion rupees ($380 million) for the quarter ended March 31, down from 38.57 billion rupees a year earlier and below analysts' estimates of 41.38 billion rupees, according to LSEG data. The company kicks off quarterly results for automakers in the country. 
Maruti said raw material costs surged nearly 51%, lifting total expenses 28% from a year earlier and hurting profitability. Profit was also hit by a 67.3% drop in other income, which includes investment earnings. 
Margins contracted 270 basis points to 7.2%.
Revenue at the Brezza SUV maker rose to 524.49 billion rupees, helped by higher volumes and improved realizations. 
The company, majority-owned by Suzuki Motor, was among the biggest beneficiaries of the tax cuts, posting a 3.7% rise in domestic sales.
Maruti said sales were constrained by production limits, with about 190,000 pending customer orders at year-end, including nearly 130,000 for small cars, while dealer inventory stood at a lean 12 days.
Small-car sales fell 4.3% in the quarter but were up 2.3% for the full financial year.
Overall sales, including exports and supplies to Toyota under their global manufacturing and design partnership, rose nearly 11.8% from a year earlier.
 ($1 = 94.5087 Indian rupees)

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru; Editing by Nivedita Bhattacharjee and Kevin Liffey)

((Kashish.Tandon@thomsonreuters.com; 8800437922;))

April 27 (Reuters) - Automakers in the world's third-largest car market are set to report robust quarterly earnings, while bracing for the fallout from the Iran war, which threatens to upend supply chains and spike raw material and fuel prices, analysts said.

Top Indian carmakers are expected to post revenue growth of about 11% to 26% in the fourth quarter, according to LSEG-compiled data, with steep tax cuts helping boost total sales to a record high in the fiscal year.

Industry leader Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS will kickstart sectoral earnings on April 28.

IN THE FAST LANE

Maruti, which makes the popular compact SUV, Brezza, is expected to deliver one of its strongest quarters, supported by a richer export mix, analysts at Morgan Stanley said.

The carmaker is expected to post 25.5% revenue growth, per LSEG-compiled data.

For Thar-maker Mahindra & Mahindra MAHM.NS, a higher mix of electric SUVs and the price hikes taken in January are expected to support margins on a sequential basis, HDFC Securities said.

However, brokerages, including HDFC Securities, expect electric-vehicle-related spending and new model launch expenses to offset recent price increases.

Margins at Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles' TAMO.NS luxury unit Jaguar Land Rover are expected to recover sequentially as production restarted after the cyberattack at its UK plant last year.

The third-biggest carmaker was not included in the LSEG-compiled estimates after its October demerger from its commercial vehicles unit.

The overall industry's wholesale volumes grew 13.2% during the quarter, faster than the 2.4% growth recorded in the same period last year.

Hyundai Motor India HYUN.NS could be the outlier with profitability constrained by an adverse product mix, higher marketing spends and elevated input costs, analysts said.

The company is estimated to post revenue growth of around 11%, according to LSEG-compiled data.

RISK TO MARGINS

The months since India's tax cuts in September saw a revival in showroom footfalls and a volume-led recovery across price-sensitive small cars and sport utility vehicles, while lower discounts helped lift margins.

That cushion could be thinning.

Rising prices of steel and aluminium, as well as freight costs, are beginning to weigh on profitability, analysts said, as automakers remain wary of steep price hikes given competition and regulatory constraints.

Maruti had said it will likely raise prices, following in the footsteps of its global peers Mercedes-Benz MBGn.DE and BMW BMWG.DE.

HDFC Securities expects margins to soften sequentially across the sector.

Analysts at CLSA estimate that carmakers would have to increase prices by about 6% to soften the impact of soaring input costs.

"For upcoming quarters, the key risk is not demand collapse, but whether rising costs begin to outpace the industry's ability to protect margins," analysts at Motilal Oswal said in an earnings preview note.

(Reporting by Kashish Tandon in Bengaluru; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair and Mrigank Dhaniwala)

((Kashish.Tandon@thomsonreuters.com; 8800437922;))

April 24 (Reuters) - Maruti Suzuki India Ltd MRTI.NS:

• MARUTI SUZUKI - COMPETITION COMMISSION HEARING ADJOURNED TO MAY 11, 2026 FOR CCI ARGUMENTS

Source text: ID:nBSE34Gg31

Further company coverage: MRTI.NS

((Reuters.Briefs@thomsonreuters.com;))

The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are her own.

By Shritama Bose

MUMBAI, April 20 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Tankers have crossed the Strait of Hormuz in significant numbers for the first time since the U.S. and Israel launched a war against Iran seven weeks ago but companies will keep paying a price for the conflict, and not just through energy prices, which will remain elevated for months. Governments in Asia are fiscally strained and will keep pushing the burden onto the private sector.

Two Indian states home to factories run by Samsung 005930.KS and Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS, this month ordered wage increases up to 35% to quell worker protests against surging living costs. The northern state of Haryana made the sharp hike in minimum wages on April 10. A deadly wave of protests prompted neighbour Uttar Pradesh to follow with a similar move on Tuesday.

The situation exposes India's long-standing problem of stagnating incomes. As far back as December 2024, Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran exhorted companies to become better paymasters. Minimum wages are abysmally low, but the hasty reaction from the states is no alternative for gradual, well-planned increments. If more states do the same, it will intensify inflation nationwide. Since fighting broke out in the Middle East in February, the only relief from the federal administration has been a cut to duties on fuel sales to cushion consumers.

Shaky government finances partly explain burden shifting: Indian states have turned populist, frequently resorting to handing out freebies to secure elections. States' aggregate gross fiscal deficit rose to 3.3% of GDP from 2.6% before Covid, leaving them little room to deal with the latest crisis. Not only does it dent Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Make-in-India pitch, but it also risks dulling the competitive edge exporters may have gained through trade pacts with markets including the European Union and the UK.

This problem will be widespread. Companies operating across South and Southeast Asia, where import dependence on energy is intense and fiscal conditions are deteriorating, are on edge. Take Indonesia. President Prabowo's government is collecting penalties and revoking resource permits under the auspices of an environmental crackdown.

Yet such acts are hard to reverse. Ultimately it validates global investors' rising ambivalence about committing patient capital to these Asian states. In the long term, that will be worse for workers and politicians.

Follow Shritama Bose on LinkedIn and X.

CONTEXT NEWS

India's northern state of Uttar Pradesh raised minimum wages for all categories of workers by about 21% on an interim basis, following days of protests in an industrial hub. The hikes will be applicable retrospectively from April 1 and will increase the pay of unskilled workers in the state to 13,690 rupees (roughly $148) per month from the current monthly pay of ‌11,313 rupees ($122). The state government said it will set up a new wage board to review and recommend further revisions to rates, and the process will begin in May.

UP's neighbouring state of Haryana on April 10 ordered a 35% hike in minimum wages. The state government said it was raising the floor wage for unskilled workers to $165 per month from roughly $120, effective April 1. The decision came a day after clashes in the auto manufacturing hub of Manesar, 30 miles south of New Delhi, between police and workers who boycotted work and staged protests over living costs rising due to war in the Middle East.

(Editing by Una Galani; Production by Ujjaini Dutta)

((For previous columns by the author, Reuters customers can click on BOSE/shritama.bose@thomsonreuters.com))

Adds CEO comments, more details throughout

By Aditi Shah

CHENNAI, April 16 (Reuters) - Renault RENA.PA is betting on electric vehicles and hybrids to win over buyers in the world's third-largest car market, global CEO Francois Provost said on Thursday, as the French carmaker steps up its product push to regain market share.

The company wants India to rank among the Renault brand's top three global markets by 2030, and aims to capture about 5% of market share in the country by the end of the decade, Provost told reporters at an event in India's southern auto hub of Chennai.

Renault, which does not have a presence in the U.S. and China, expects the Indian market will play a key role in developing new models and boosting sales for the French carmaker globally.

"Our ambition goes beyond 'India for India' in growth and product," Provost said, adding he sees the country as an export and tech hub, "and a strategic asset on a global scale" where it will develop products and technologies for the world.

Sales of cars in India are set to touch 6 million by 2030, up 36% from 2025, S&P Global Mobility data showed, with a rapid increase in demand for SUVs and premium vehicles - a shift Provost is betting on.

Renault entered India in 2005 and in 2012 it launched its popular Duster SUV helping the carmaker achieve a market share of 4%. But over time, Renault's share dwindled and is less than 1% currently, industry data showed.

The automaker, which is making a comeback in the South Asian country, is betting on its electrified vehicles to win over consumers, with Provost expecting EVs and hybrids to account for about half of its sales in India by 2030.

Renault currently builds most cars in India on its compact vehicle platform and it recently introduced a modular platform on which it has built the Duster SUV.

The new modular platform will allow Renault to introduce vehicles of different sizes with a high level of local content, allowing it to price them competitively for the domestic market and exports, the company's India chief Stephane Deblaise said at the same event.

It plans to have seven models in India by the end of the decade, including its existing portfolio of four vehicles plus the launch of three new cars.

INDIA AS AN EXPORT HUB

India is emerging as a major source of global engineering and innovation for Renault, and Provost said the company aims to generate about 2 billion euros ($2.36 billion) worth of car, parts and technology exports a year from the country by 2030.

South America is one region it will export to, Provost said.

Global automakers, including Japan's Toyota 7203.T, Suzuki 7269.T and South Korea's Hyundai Motor 005380.KS are stepping up investments in India, betting on rising domestic demand and its growing role as an automotive production and engineering hub.

Provost, a Renault insider who previously ran operations in Russia, South Korea and China, did not disclose how much the company will commit exclusively to the Indian market.

Under its broader international game plan, Renault has said it will spend 3 billion euros by 2027 launching Renault-brand models in India, Latin America, South Korea, Turkey and North Africa.

($1 = 0.8487 euros)

(Reporting by Aditi Shah in Chennai, Writing by Surbhi Misra in Bengaluru; Editing by Sonia Cheema and Jane Merriman)

((Surbhi.Misra@thomsonreuters.com | X: https://twitter.com/SurbhiMisra_ |;))

** Maruti Suzuki India MRTI.NS falls as much as 6% to 12,966 rupees; last down 4%

** State of Haryana orders 35% hike in minimum wages after protests over soaring costs due to Iran war

** This creates near-term cost challenge for labour-intensive sectors, especially automobiles, auto ancillary units concentrated in Haryana, ICICI Securities says

** However, expects this regulation to have minimal impact on co as it already has wage agreement in place

** Stock rated "buy" on avg; median PT is 17,103 rupees, per data compiled by LSEG

** YTD, MRTI down 21%

(Reporting by Brijesh Patel in Bengaluru)

((Brijesh.Patel1@thomsonreuters.com; Ph no. +91 9590227221;))

Updates with comment from Roop polymers in paragraph 15, updates dateline

By Aditi Shah and Arpan Chaturvedi

MANESAR, India, April 11 (Reuters) - India's auto-making state of Haryana ordered a 35% hike in minimum wages on Friday, after factory workers boycotted work and staged protests this week over rising living costs as a result of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Haryana's government said it was raising the minimum wage for unskilled workers to $165 per month, from roughly $120, effective April 1, a move that helps workers but will raise cost pressures for India's auto industry at a time of rising input prices and supply chain disruptions.

The decision comes a day after clashes between the police and workers in Manesar, located 30 miles (48.28 km) south of New Delhi and home to companies like Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS, as well as hundreds of ancillary units that feed into it.

"We urge the workers to ... peacefully carry on their work," Ajay Kumar, a state official, said in a video address on Friday.

Factory workers have been hit hard as prices at eateries have surged due to disrupted supplies of gas in recent weeks, prompting some to return to their villages.

India is the world's second-largest liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) importer and is battling its worst gas crisis in decades, with the government cutting supplies for industries to shield households from any shortage of cooking gas.

The government's move will increase costs for India's car industry, already dealing with higher raw material prices stemming from the Iran war. While the likes of Tata Motors TAMO.NS and Mahindra MAHM.NS have raised car prices, Maruti has warned of a similar move.

HEAVY RELIANCE ON GAS

India's heavy reliance on gas across the economy - businesses of all sizes, households, agriculture, public transport - makes its factories as well as lower-income earners among the most vulnerable in Asia.

Akash Kumar, 25, who works at Munjal Showa MNJL.NS, a supplier to motorbike maker Hero MotoCorp HROM.NS, said street vendors were charging him double the price for a meal of bread, curry and yogurt.

Friday's decision, he said, will bring some relief. "Whatever we get, we have to be happy," he said, adding that workers have resumed duties after being told about the pay hike.

Industrial unrest in Manesar affected various auto suppliers this week, according to Reuters' interviews with more than 30 workers. Workers said they were demanding pay rises to sustain their livelihoods as food was becoming expensive and gas supplies were erratic.

The federal government maintains there is no shortage of cooking gas for households and it is increasing availability of smaller cylinders for daily-wage earners and migrants.

Munjal Showa told Reuters its production was partially impacted this week.

At Roop Polymers, a supplier to Maruti and Honda 7267.T, notices on the factory-gate wall warned of disciplinary action against absent workers, and a company executive said "work was heavily disrupted inside" due to the protests.

In a statement on Saturday, Roop told Reuters that the impact of worker protests on production was "very minimal" and operations are now running normally.

Maruti, Honda and Hero did not respond to requests for comment.

While talks between Iran and the U.S. have raised hopes of de-escalation, auto industry executives said supply chains could take weeks to normalise, as a growing number of migrant workers head back home.

India has about 400 million local migrant workers heading to places such as Manesar to earn a minimum wage for an average 48 hours a week.

"Most employers are trying hard to hold on to the workforce that is running back by offering two meals a day or paying a small bonus," said Vinod Kumar, president of India SME Forum which represents thousands of small and medium-sized businesses.

The group is seeking government help to implement "emergency" measures and establish cluster-based common kitchens, as Kumar said "once labour leaves, it is very difficult to get them back."

(Reporting by Aditi Shah and Arpan Chaturvedi in Manesar, additional reporting by Dhwani Pandya in Mumbai, Saurabh Sharma in New Delhi and Sumit Khanna in Ahmedabad; Editing by Aditya Kalra, Miyoung Kim, Elaine Hardcastle and Alexander Smith)

((aditi.shah@tr.com; +91-11-4954 8023, +91-11-3015 8023; Reuters Messaging: twitter: @aditishahsays))

By Aditi Shah and Arpan Chaturvedi

MANESAR, India, April 10 (Reuters) - India's auto-making state of Haryana ordered a 35% hike in minimum wages on Friday, after factory workers boycotted work and staged protests this week over rising living costs as a result of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.

Haryana's government said it was raising the minimum wage for unskilled workers to $165 per month, from roughly $120, effective April 1, a move that helps workers but will raise cost pressures for India's auto industry at a time of rising input prices and supply chain disruptions.

The decision comes a day after clashes between the police and workers in Manesar, located 30 miles (48.28 km) south of New Delhi and home to companies like Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS, as well as hundreds of ancillary units that feed into it.

"We urge the workers to ... peacefully carry on their work," Ajay Kumar, a state official, said in a video address on Friday.

Factory workers have been hit hard as prices at eateries have surged due to disrupted supplies of gas in recent weeks, prompting some to return to their villages.

India is the world's second-largest liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) importer and is battling its worst gas crisis in decades, with the government cutting supplies for industries to shield households from any shortage of cooking gas.

The government's move will increase costs for India's car industry, already dealing with higher raw material prices stemming from the Iran war. While the likes of Tata Motors TAMO.NS and Mahindra MAHM.NS have raised car prices, Maruti has warned of a similar move.

HEAVY RELIANCE ON GAS

India's heavy reliance on gas across the economy - businesses of all sizes, households, agriculture, public transport - makes its factories as well as lower-income earners among the most vulnerable in Asia.

Akash Kumar, 25, who works at Munjal Showa MNJL.NS, a supplier to motorbike maker Hero MotoCorp HROM.NS, said street vendors were charging him double the price for a meal of bread, curry and yogurt.

Friday's decision, he said, will bring some relief. "Whatever we get, we have to be happy," he said, adding that workers have resumed duties after being told about the pay hike.

Industrial unrest in Manesar affected various auto suppliers this week, according to Reuters' interviews with more than 30 workers. Workers said they were demanding pay rises to sustain their livelihoods as food was becoming expensive and gas supplies were erratic.

The federal government maintains there is no shortage of cooking gas for households and it is increasing availability of smaller cylinders for daily-wage earners and migrants.

Munjal Showa told Reuters its production was partially impacted this week.

At Roop Polymers, a supplier to Maruti and Honda 7267.T, notices on the factory-gate wall warned of disciplinary action against absent workers, and a company executive said "work was heavily disrupted inside" due to the protests.

Roop, Maruti, Honda and Hero did not respond to requests for comment.

While talks between Iran and the U.S. have raised hopes of de-escalation, auto industry executives said supply chains could take weeks to normalise, as a growing number of migrant workers head back home.

India has about 400 million local migrant workers heading to places such as Manesar to earn a minimum wage for an average 48 hours a week.

"Most employers are trying hard to hold on to the workforce that is running back by offering two meals a day or paying a small bonus," said Vinod Kumar, president of India SME Forum which represents thousands of small and medium-sized businesses.

The group is seeking government help to implement "emergency" measures and establish cluster-based common kitchens, as Kumar said "once labour leaves, it is very difficult to get them back."

(Reporting by Aditi Shah and Arpan Chaturvedi in Manesar, additional reporting by Dhwani Pandya in Mumbai, Saurabh Sharma in New Delhi and Sumit Khanna in Ahmedabad; Editing by Aditya Kalra, Miyoung Kim and Elaine Hardcastle)

((aditi.shah@tr.com; +91-11-4954 8023, +91-11-3015 8023; Reuters Messaging: twitter: @aditishahsays))

April 6 (Reuters) - India’s auto dealers warned of possible supply disruptions in the near term, from the West Asia conflict, even as Indian retail vehicle sales rose 25.28% in March, closing the financial year on a strong note on sustained momentum from tax cuts that improved affordability, the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) said on Monday.

Passenger vehicle sales rose 21.48% year-over-year in March, while two-wheeler sales rose 28.68% and commercial vehicle sales rose 15.12%, FADA said.

(Reporting by Meenakshi Maidas in Bengaluru)

((Meenakshi.Maidas@thomsonreuters.com; +91 8921483410;))

April 1 (Reuters) -

• SMALL CAR SALES TRACTION VERY GOOD, WAITING PERIOD OF ONE MONTH

• WILL REVIEW CAR PRICES SOON, WILL NEED TO PASS ON HIGHER COSTS TO CUSTOMERS

Further company coverage: MRTI.NS

((Reutersbriefs@thomsonreuters.com;))

March 31 (Reuters) - Maruti Suzuki India Ltd MRTI.NS:

• MARUTI SUZUKI - GETS ORDER CONFIRMING A TAX DEMAND OF 384.2 MILLION RUPEES, INTEREST AND EQUAL PENALTY OF 384.2 MILLION RUPEES

Source text: ID:nBSE4hHlT6

Further company coverage: MRTI.NS

((Reuters.Briefs@thomsonreuters.com;))

Repeats to additional subscribers, with no change to text

By Aditi Shah

NEW DELHI, March 26 (Reuters) - India has asked automakers and parts suppliers to tighten production schedules to conserve fuel amid fears of shortages caused by disrupted oil and gas imports from the Gulf due to the Iran war, a government memo seen by Reuters shows.

The heavy industries ministry has also urged companies to shift factory operations from oil-based fuels to electricity and to use recycled aluminium or alternative materials as shortages and costs rise, according to the March 25 advisory.

For India, one of the world's largest oil and gas importers, the advisory underscores the government's mounting concern over the conflict and its disruption to energy flows, supply chains and availability of raw materials.

India's ministry of heavy industries did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The government has already prioritised use of gas for households over industries, which get only about 80% of their average needs.

Some parts suppliers to India's leading carmakers like Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS, Tata Motors TAMO.NS and Mahindra MAHM.NS are already reporting a shortage of gas to power operations at a time when vehicle sales are booming.

The ministry wants the sector to do more.

"Wherever technically feasible, a transition from oil-based fuels to electricity may be considered. Further, production schedules may be optimised to minimise idle and standby fuel consumption," the ministry said in its note.

The government wants companies to use recycled aluminium where possible and explore the use of alternative materials for packaging and other non-critical applications to reduce "demand pressure" amid shortages which are already affecting beer makers.

"I don't know how much we can change in the factory, but the takeaway is that this war is going to go on for a long time and we should be prepared," said an executive at an Indian carmaker.

(Reporting by Aditi Shah, Editing by William Maclean)

((aditi.shah@tr.com; +91-11-4954 8023, +91-11-3015 8023; Reuters Messaging: twitter: @aditishahsays))

By Aditi Shah

NEW DELHI, March 26 (Reuters) - India has asked automakers and parts suppliers to tighten production schedules to conserve fuel amid fears of shortages caused by disrupted oil and gas imports from the Gulf due to the Iran war, a government memo seen by Reuters shows.

The heavy industries ministry has also urged companies to shift factory operations from oil-based fuels to electricity and to use recycled aluminium or alternative materials as shortages and costs rise, according to the March 25 advisory.

For India, one of the world's largest oil and gas importers, the advisory underscores the government's mounting concern over the conflict and its disruption to energy flows, supply chains and availability of raw materials.

India's ministry of heavy industries did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The government has already prioritised use of gas for households over industries, which get only about 80% of their average needs.

Some parts suppliers to India's leading carmakers like Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS, Tata Motors TAMO.NS and Mahindra MAHM.NS are already reporting a shortage of gas to power operations at a time when vehicle sales are booming.

The ministry wants the sector to do more.

"Wherever technically feasible, a transition from oil-based fuels to electricity may be considered. Further, production schedules may be optimised to minimise idle and standby fuel consumption," the ministry said in its note.

The government wants companies to use recycled aluminium where possible and explore the use of alternative materials for packaging and other non-critical applications to reduce "demand pressure" amid shortages which are already affecting beer makers.

"I don't know how much we can change in the factory, but the takeaway is that this war is going to go on for a long time and we should be prepared," said an executive at an Indian carmaker.

(Reporting by Aditi Shah, Editing by William Maclean)

((aditi.shah@tr.com; +91-11-4954 8023, +91-11-3015 8023; Reuters Messaging: twitter: @aditishahsays))

By Aditi Shah

NEW DELHI, March 19 (Reuters) - India's automakers and parts suppliers are bracing for production slowdowns and assembly-line disruptions as the Iran conflict chokes gas availability, threatening growth in the world's third-largest car market.

Some parts suppliers to India's leading carmakers like Maruti Suzuki, Tata Motors and Mahindra are already reporting a shortage of gas to power operations, an early sign that supply chain issues are developing, according to two dozen executives at car companies, part makers and dealers.

The disruption comes at a time when India's car demand is soaring to record levels, with sales expected to cross 4.5 million units in the current fiscal year to March 31, leaving little excess inventory with manufacturers and dealers.

"At this point in time it is about survival. First and foremost we need to ensure production continues. The buffer stocks will not last long," said a senior executive with a leading carmaker.

INDIA MOST EXPOSED TO WEST ASIA CONFLICT

India relies heavily on the Middle East for energy supplies, importing 50% of its natural gas needs mostly from Qatar, which has been forced to shut its refinery after a wave of Iranian attacks.

Shipments of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz have also tanked after Iranian attacks on vessels.

While India is working to secure gas from the U.S., Norway and Russia, the government has prioritised supplies for homes over factories. In auto sector plants, the fuel is critical to high-heat processes like forging and casting, and in the paint shop.

Suppliers Reuters spoke to in India's western and northern car manufacturing belts said production will be managed until end-March. But the stress in the system is showing, with at least four executives saying Tata and Mahindra are operating some factories below capacity.

Mahindra said in a statement that the company has not lost any production this month versus its "plan to date", while a spokesperson for Tata Motors said operations at its plants are "near normal".

Tata said it is working with suppliers to ensure continuity and optimising production where required.

Small and medium manufacturing units, which form the car industry's backbone, are most vulnerable, as they rely more on gas and are unable to switch to other sources quickly.

Kirloskar Ferrous KRFI.BO, a supplier of iron castings, told an Indian stock exchange this week it has stopped some production at a factory in Western India "until further notice".

Metal producer Hindalco HALC.NS declared force majeure to some of its customers last week, warning them of potential disruptions amid gas shortages.

Both companies count Mahindra as a customer. Mahindra did not offer a direct comment about the two suppliers, but said its teams are working on the supply chain and taking action as needed.

CARMAKERS YET TO OFFICIALLY CUT PRODUCTION SCHEDULES

Automakers are operating in a state of high-alert diplomacy with their suppliers to keep assembly lines moving, and have not officially cut production schedules yet.

"We have received some information about challenges in energy supply for our in-house and our suppliers' production operations," said Rahul Bharti, senior executive officer for corporate affairs at Maruti MRTI.NS, India's biggest carmaker.

"As of now, our operations are running as per plan," he told Reuters.

S&P Global Mobility has already begun slashing its India outlook, now forecasting 6.3% growth in light vehicle production for 2026, down from 7.4% projected before the war.

"Depending on when the conflict ends, we may need to further revise the forecast," said S&P's Gaurav Vangaal.

(Reporting by Aditi Shah; Editing by Jan Harvey)

((aditi.shah@tr.com; +91-11-4954 8023, +91-11-3015 8023; Reuters Messaging: twitter: @aditishahsays))

March 17 (Reuters) - Maruti Suzuki India Ltd MRTI.NS:

• MARUTI SUZUKI - GETS TAX ORDER OF 57.86 BILLION RUPEES

Source text: ID:nBSE1fS15b

Further company coverage: MRTI.NS

((Reuters.Briefs@thomsonreuters.com;))

March 13 (Reuters) - India's domestic car dispatches to dealers rose for the fifth straight month in February, data from an industry body showed on Friday, helped by tax cuts that have lowered prices across most models.

"While the month of March has festive drivers... the recent conflict in West Asia remains a concern... could impact the manufacturing processes and exports," Rajesh Menon, Director General of Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), said.

Here are some key details:

• Passenger vehicle dispatches jumped 10.6% to 417,705 units in February, compared with 377,689 units a year earlier.

• Tax reductions continue to fuel growth, extending momentum for fifth consecutive month.

• In September 2025, India slashed taxes on larger SUVs to 40% as an additional levy was dropped and on small cars and two-wheelers to 18% from 28%, helping support demand across segments.

• Vehicle sales picked up during the ongoing wedding season, supported by strong bookings, inventory build-up and new model launches.

• Domestic demand is expected to remain strong, though exports could soften on reduced shipments to Africa and the Middle East, analysts added.

• SIAM warns the ongoing Middle East crisis could hit production and exports if supply chains are disrupted.

• A shortage of gas - crucial for paint shops and component manufacturing - may affect production, analysts said, though they expect only near-term impact on Indian manufacturers due to inventory buffers.

• Domestic demand to stay robust but exports could weaken due to reduced shipments to Africa and the Middle East- Axis Capital

• India, the world's third-biggest car market, has an auto industry that accounts for 7.1% of its GDP.

• Tax cut-driven growth is likely to sustain for several quarters, a dealer's body said last week.

(Reporting by Meenakshi Maidas and Urvi Dugar in Bengaluru)

((Meenakshi.Maidas@thomsonreuters.com; +91 8921483410;))

** Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS poised for market-share recovery despite recent underperformance due to weak near-term wholesales and soft Q3, Motilal Oswal says

** Adds near-term wholesale constrained by capacity limits; expected to ease from April 2026 with new capacity expansion

** MRTI falls 2.25% to 13,194 rupees amid weaker markets; Nifty auto index .NIFTYAUTO down 2.4%

** Brokerage reiterates "Buy", raises PT to 17,406 rupees from 13,497 rupees

** Says co poised to outgrow industry in FY27, supported by strong launches that include new Brezza variant, recent Victoris and e-Vitara, plus another model next year

** Adds export momentum remains healthy as co targets 750,000-800,000 units by FY31 and already surpassed FY26 goal last month

** YTD, MRTI down 20%

(Reporting by Urvi Dugar in Bengaluru)

((UrviManoj.Dugar@thomsonreuters.com;))

March 6 (Reuters) - The U.S.-Israel war with Iran, which entered its seventh day on Friday, threatens to disrupt the shipment of vehicles from Asia to the Middle East, a major export market for Asian automakers.

Chinese, Indian, South Korean and Japanese automakers export cars worth billions of dollars to the Middle East through the Strait of Hormuz and shipping along the route has ground to a halt over fears of attacks by Tehran.

CHINA

The Middle East is the second-largest overseas market for China-made vehicles and an increasingly important region for the Asian giant as it looks to offset weak demand at home.

Of the 8.32 million cars shipped overseas by Chinese automakers in 2025, 1.39 million, or one-sixth, were to Gulf countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, according to the China Passenger Car Association.

Major car exporters include Chery Automobile 9973.HK, BYD 002594.SZ, SAIC Motor 600104.SS, Changan Automobile 000625.SZ and Geely 0175.HK.

China joint ventures of Kia 000270.KS, Hyundai Motor 005380.KS and Toyota Motor 7203.T are also among the top 10 car exporters to the Middle East, according to data from Gasgoo Automotive Research Institute, China's largest supply chain platform.

INDIA

India exported $8.8 billion worth of cars in 2025, of which 25% went to the Middle East, mainly Saudi Arabia, according to commercially available customs data.

Hyundai Motor is most exposed with half its 2025 global shipments of $1.8 billion from India going to countries in the Gulf region.

Toyota, too, has a large exposure with about two-thirds, or more than $300 million, of its total India exports of $470 million last year going to the Middle East, according to the data.

Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS sends less than 15% of its exports by value to the Gulf region, the data showed. Of its total exports of $3.2 billion in 2025, cars worth $457 million were shipped to the region.

Nissan Motor's 7201.T exposure from India is about $318 million, or 38% of its total exports in 2025, the data showed.

SOUTH KOREA

South Korea's total car exports by value in 2025 hit a record $72 billion, of which $5.3 billion of vehicles were sent to the Middle East, up 2.8% from 2024, according to the Korea International Trade Association.

Hyundai Motor's exports to the Middle East and Africa accounted for 8% of its total wholesale sales in 2025 of 4.14 million units. This adds up to about 317,000 cars that were shipped to the combined region.

Kia shipped 8% of its 2025 wholesale sales of 3.1 million units to the Middle East and Africa.

JAPAN

Toyota exported 320,699 vehicles from Japan to the Middle East in 2025, which was a 5.4% increase over the previous year, according to data published by the company. This made up just over 15% of the company's total exports of over 2 million units last year.

The automaker will produce nearly 40,000 fewer vehicles bound for Middle East markets due to logistical concerns stemming from the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran, the Nikkei reported.

(Reporting by Aditi Shah in New Delhi, Zoey Zhang in Shanghai, Heekyong Yang in Seoul and Maki Shiraki in Tokyo; Editing by Miyoung Kim and Jamie Freed)

((aditi.shah@tr.com; +91-11-4954 8023, +91-11-3015 8023; Reuters Messaging: twitter: @aditishahsays))

Rewrites, adds details, background, auto body president comment

By Meenakshi Maidas and Yagnoseni Das

March 5 (Reuters) - India's retail vehicle sales jumped 25.6% in February, as last year's tax cuts and a pick-up in weddings drove demand for two-wheelers and passenger vehicles, the auto dealers' body said on Thursday.

Analysts had expected double‑digit year‑on‑year growth in February, supported by price cuts, new model launches and firm rural demand, after India cut taxes on vehicles last September to boost consumption in the wake of steep U.S. tariffs.

Two-wheeler sales jumped 25% from a year ago in February, while passenger vehicle sales climbed 26.1%, the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations said, adding that demand was supported by weddings with enquiries rising across rural and urban markets.

The dealer body's president, C.S. Vigneshwar, told Reuters that growth is likely to sustain for several quarters, if not years, noting that the industry had always expected the impact of the tax cuts to be "seismic" rather than seasonal.

Over two-thirds of dealers surveyed by the association expect retail sales to grow in March, buoyed by festival-driven demand and fiscal year-end purchases. However, dealers have flagged supply constraints for some models.

Vigneshwar said that there has been no immediate impact on logistics for vehicles from the Middle East war.

Passenger vehicle inventory, or the average time a car remained on the showroom floor, fell for a fifth consecutive month to 27–29 days from 32-34 days in January.

(Reporting by Meenakshi Maidas and Yagnoseni Das Bengaluru; Editing by Eileen Soreng and Mrigank Dhaniwala)

((Meenakshi.Maidas@thomsonreuters.com; +91 8921483410;))

By Aditi Shah

NEW DELHI, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Tata Motors TAMO.NS is betting that its new low-priced Punch EV will succeed in cracking the dominant budget segment of the world's third-largest car market for electric vehicles, its CEO said ahead of the model's launch on Friday.

Around 65% of the 4.6 million passenger vehicles sold in India last year were priced below $13,200. But, of those affordable cars, just 1.6% were EVs, compared to 10% of those in higher price categories.

There currently are only a small number of EV models available in the lower price range in India. And range anxiety and concerns around their slow charging times and battery life reliability are holding back buyers, Shailesh Chandra told reporters.

"The real challenge is the entry segment. Until we crack this, we will not be able to mainstream EVs," Chandra said.

The new Punch EV is priced from $10,650, with a long-range variant that can cover a distance of 350 kilometres (217 miles) on a single charge selling for $13,850.

The Punch can be charged from a 20% battery level to 80% in 26 minutes with a fast charger, the company says, and comes with a lifetime battery warranty.

Tata is also offering an option to decouple the price of the car from the battery, reducing the EV's upfront cost to $7,100. The battery can then be paid for separately at a price of 3 cents per km.

GOVERNMENT WANTS MORE EV ADOPTION, BUT SALES LAGGING

India's government is pushing to increase EV sales to 30% of the total market by 2030 from around 5% currently to reduce the country's dependence on imported fuel and bring down high levels of pollution in its cities.

However, EV sales growth has slowed, pushing carmakers to offer discounts.

Chandra said Tata Motors is sacrificing margins "to some extent" on its EV range to ensure there is long-term progress towards electrification, but added that profits are not far below its combustion engine car business.

"EVs have moved from being experimental to being a serious play," he said.

Tata, India's largest seller of electric vehicles, competes with JSW MG Motor, SAIC's 600104.SS India venture, and Mahindra & Mahindra MAHM.NS.

Maruti Suzuki MRTI.NS, India's biggest carmaker, is the latest to enter the EV segment with its e-Vitara SUV, priced from around $12,000 for the base variant in which the battery is leased separately and $22,000 for the long-range model.

(Reporting by Aditi Shah; Editing by Joe Bavier)

((aditi.shah@tr.com; +91-11-4954 8023, +91-11-3015 8023; Reuters Messaging: twitter: @aditishahsays))