India’s Automobile Sales in H1 2026

According to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), Indian automotive wholesales in H1 2026 surged 19.0% year-on-year (YoY) to 3.18 million units, an increase of 509,000 units. This marks the first time in the history of the Indian market that overall half-yearly volumes have crossed the 3-million mark. The market's growth, which had been showing signs of deceleration, was re-accelerated by the government's GST (Goods and Services Tax) rate cut in September 2025, combined with subsequent price revisions and heavy discounting by OEMs on core models. Unprecedented, aggressive price cuts—averaging 50,000 to 100,000 INR—stimulated strong demand, particularly in the entry-level budget segment (600,000 to 1,000,000 INR). Capitalizing on this momentum, Tata Motors drove strong sales for key models like the Punch and Nexon. Meanwhile, market leader Maruti Suzuki saw its passenger vehicle market share dip below the 40% threshold, contracting by 0.7 percentage points YoY to 39.7%.