The Nationwide lockdown have halted all economic activity and shuttered the auto sector as many auto players reported zero sales in April registering a year-on-year de-growth of 100%.
Considering the impact of the lockdown Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) along with ACMA and SIAM have jointly written to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), Government of India (GOI) to include auto industry as essential services.
They requested to resume operations of vehicle manufacturers (OEMs), component suppliers, dealers, service workshops, and the Regional Transport Authorities.
Starting with Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai Motor India, and Toyota Kirloskar Motor to Mahindra & Mahindra and MG Motor India, all companies have reported absolute zero despatches to their dealers, given the deserted look of their respective assembly lines and showrooms.
“This is the first time ever in the automobile history that there have been no sales/zero sales. It is a difficult moment for all of us in the automobile community. We look forward towards opening of the lockdown and resuming the business again at the earliest, without compromising citizen safety.”
~ FADA President Ashish Harsharaj Kale said in a statement.
Further he added, “April 2020 was a month which the entire automobile industry would like to forget and implore that such a time never comes again in future. The entire country is under lockdown, the complete automobile ecosystem has been affected, right from the dealer to manufacturer to component manufacturer everyone.”
As per reports, the sector has a turnover of USD 120 billion and contributes 7% to India’s GDP, 49% to the manufacturing output and creates employment for over 3.7 crore people, directly and indirectly. The sector also exports USD 27 billion worth of vehicles and components annually.
The sector is losing revenue to the tune of Rs 2,300 crore per day. Thus, starting of economic activity and supply chain in the sector is critical as the industry is interdependent and even a single missing bolt in the inventory can bring the assembly line to a forced stop.
