The sales data comes as an already-battered auto sector struggles against weak demand due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
Domestic passenger vehicle sales dropped 51 per cent last month, data from industry body SIAM or Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers showed on Monday. In its monthly report, SIAM said passenger vehicle sales stood at 1,43,014 units last month, as against 2,91,861 units in the corresponding period a year ago. The sales data comes as an already-battered auto sector struggles against weak demand due to the fallout from the coronavirus pandemic.
Domestic passenger vehicle sales had fallen 7.61 cent in February, according to SIAM data released last month.
SIAM had said last month that vehicle production across all categories is likely to be critically hampered due to the coronavirus outbreak in China considering many automakers in India import about 10 per cent of their raw materials from the neighbouring nation.
“Automobile industry witnessed one of its sharpest decline in domestic sales in March 2020 due to subdued demand and consumer sentiments which was further aggravated by the COVID-19 outbreak in the country,” said Rajesh Menon, director general, SIAM.
Sales of commercial vehicles – light, medium and heavy carriers of passengers and goods – declined by 88.05 per cent to 13,027 units in March 2020 compared to 109,022 units in March 2019.
Two-wheeler sales fell 39.83 per cent to 866,849 units in March 2020 compared to 1,440,593 units in March 2019.
