| Last year, 2.6 million units of new cars were | | | | leading to the set up of Maruti Udyog which is |
| produced in India. This made the country the | | | | now known as Maruti Suzuki and is the largest |
| seventh largest auto market in the world. In the | | | | selling automotive major in India. Many other car |
| continent of Asia, India is the fourth leading | | | | makers soon made their entry on Indian roads. |
| exporter of cars, after Japan, South Korea and | | | | It was in the 1980s that the car industry started |
| Thailand. It has been projected that in another 40 | | | | seeing growth. There were many global |
| years, the Indian automobile sector will top the | | | | automotive majors coming to India with intentions |
| world in car production and around 611 million | | | | of building joint ventures. Everybody smelt the |
| automobiles will be playing on the Indian roads. | | | | potential that the Indian automobile sector |
| The economic liberalization in India that happened | | | | possessed and wanted to explore it further. |
| in 1991 brought in an increase in competitiveness | | | | Several Japanese car makers launched |
| and a relaxation in restrictions. Post 1991, the | | | | joint-ventures for building light commercial vehicles |
| Indian car market has been displaying steady | | | | too. |
| growth. Many Indian automotive majors like | | | | In recent times, India has appeared as one of the |
| M&M, Maruti Suzuki and Tata Motors | | | | largest manufacturers of small cars globally. India's |
| expanded their base both in India and abroad. The | | | | sturdy engineering base and proficiency when it |
| Indian automobile sector's healthy and financially | | | | comes to production of affordable, fuel-economic |
| viable growth led to the internal development and | | | | cars has led to the expansion of production |
| also gave rise to noteworthy India-specific | | | | facilities of various car manufacturers like Hyundai, |
| investments by multinational car makers. In | | | | Toyota, Nissan, VW and Maruti Suzuki. |
| February last year, the monthly sales of | | | | Two years ago Hyundai alone had exported |
| passenger cars in India had exceeded 100,000 | | | | around 2,40,000 cars, all made in India. By next |
| units. | | | | year, Nissan plans to export at least 250,000 units |
| Post Indian independence in 1947, the | | | | produced in its plant in India. GM too has great |
| Government of India and the private sector too | | | | plans for India. The car maker's Indian subsidiary, |
| launched several programmes to build an auto | | | | Chevrolet has been doing real well and GM wants |
| industry, but in vain. Noticeable changes began | | | | about 50,000 cars manufactured in India in a |
| only in the 1970s, and that too, only in the truck, | | | | year's time. The sales figures for almost all car |
| tractor and two-wheeler automobile sectors. Cars | | | | manufacturers in India have been displaying an |
| were still considered just a luxury and not a | | | | all-time high and this has been projected to grow |
| necessity. Luckily, Japanese manufacturers slowly | | | | further. |
| made their entry in the Indian market finally | | | | |