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As delegates met in Pune, India's car sales figures for November were released - and made for startling reading. Maruti Suzuki saw sales jump 60% over the same month in 2008 (and rise 17% on 2007, as November was the low point in the financial crisis for India); Tata/Fiat was up 55%; Hyundai up 93%; GM up 65%; and Mahindra & Mahindra up an impressive 105%.
The figures confirm that the late 2008 sales dip was a pause in India's upward trajectory of car production and sales. Small cars are selling well and even exports - often overlooked - outstripped China's for the first time this year. But logistics is groaning under the strain. Speakers and delegates lamented India's low cost, low investment logistics model. OEMs called for an increase in the involvment of 3PLs.
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