Auto exports recover in Q1 amid improved pandemic situation

Automobile exports from India recovered in the first quarter with all vehicle segments, including passenger vehicles and two-wheelers,  witnessing growth following an improvement in the pandemic situation across various international markets.

As per the latest SIAM data, total vehicle exports during the April-June quarter this fiscal stood at 14,19,430 units as compared with 436,500 units in the same period of 2020-21 which saw massive disruptions due to the COVID lockdowns across the country, hampering sales as well overseas shipments.

SIAM director general Rajesh Menon told PTI that while two-wheeler shipments were better than previous three years, passenger vehicles, three-wheelers and commercial vehicles export numbers were yet to catch up with numbers in the first quarter of 2018-19 fiscal.

"If we just compare export numbers of Q1 of 2021-22, two-wheelers have done better than previous three years, however, the total number of passenger vehicles, three-wheelers and commercial vehicles exports were higher in Q1 of 2018-19," he noted.

In the April-June quarter, passenger vehicle exports from the country stood at 127,115 units as against 43,619 units in the same period of 2020-21.

Passenger car exports stood at 79,376 units, utility vehicle shipments at 47,151 units while van exports were at 588 units.

Maruti Suzuki India led the passenger vehicle segment with exports of 45,056 units followed by Hyundai Motor India which shipped 29,881 units during the period.

Kia Motors shipments stood at 12,448 units while Volkswagen India chipped in with 11,566 units during the quarter.

Two-wheeler exports rose to 11,37,102 units in the April-June period as against 337,983 units in the same period of FY20.

Similarly, commercial exports during the first quarter stood at 16,006 units as compared with 3,870 units in the April-June period of 2020-21.

Tata Motors led the segment with shipment of 6,653 units followed by Mahindra & Mahindra with 3,931 units.

Three-wheeler exports rose to 1,37,582 units in the period under review as against 50,631 units in the first quarter of 2020-21.

Domestic wholesales across all categories in the first quarter stood at 31,80,039 units as compared with 14,92,612 units in the April-June period of 2020-21.

Comparatively, total dispatches in the domestic market stood at 60,84,478 units in the first quarter of 2019-20 financial year.