India Auto Sales Grow 27% Over 2024 During Navratri

The Federation of Automobile Dealers Association (FADA) reported that India's automotive industry retailed 11.23 lakh vehicles during the 10-day Navratri period from October 11–20, 2026. While this represents a 27% increase over the same period in 2024, total registrations declined by 6.52% compared to 2025. FADA attributes this dip to a shorter festive window—10 days this year versus 11 last year—and a high comparison base from the GST 2.0 roll-out in 2025, which had triggered significant pent-up demand.

Electric vehicles emerged as a primary growth driver, with retail sales increasing 26.78% to 117,437 units. EVs now account for 10.5% of total festive sales, up from 7.7% a year ago. Electric two-wheelers led this shift with a 33.41% increase. In contrast, non-electric passenger vehicle registrations fell by 24%, though overall passenger vehicle growth remained above 10% when compared to 2024.

Major manufacturers reported strong momentum, with Hyundai Motor India seeing a 30% year-on-year registration increase and Maruti Suzuki reporting 35% retail growth between Ganesh Chaturthi and Dussehra. Despite the positive consumer sentiment, FADA warned that dealers face pressure from elevated inventory levels, which reached 45 days for passenger vehicles in September, increasing financing costs and squeezing margins.