New Delhi, April 15: India’s auto industry achieved a new milestone in the financial year ending March 2025, with passenger vehicle sales rising to a record 43 lakh units, according to data released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). This marks a 2 per cent increase from the previous year.
A major contributor to this growth was the rising popularity of utility vehicles, which accounted for 65 per cent of total passenger vehicle sales. This is up from around 60 per cent in the previous financial year.
The report said the increase came from strong demand for new models, better features, and attractive consumer offers. “The sales were driven by healthy demand, infrastructure investments, supportive government policies, and a continued focus on sustainable mobility,” SIAM said in a statement.
It added that sound economic policies and positive market sentiment also helped in maintaining growth during the year. Passenger vehicle exports also touched an all-time high of 7.7 lakh units, registering a growth of 14.6 per cent over the previous year.
The report credited this jump to an increase in the export of India-made global models, especially to markets in Latin America and Africa. Two-wheeler sales saw a strong recovery, growing by 9.1 per cent to reach 1.96 crore units in FY25.
Three-wheeler sales also performed well, touching their highest-ever level at 7.4 lakh units. This marks a 6.7 per cent rise and even beats the earlier peak recorded in FY19. “The growth in the two-wheeler segment was led by scooters, thanks to improved connectivity in rural and semi-urban areas and the availability of newer models with advanced features,” the report noted.
On the other hand, commercial vehicle sales declined by 1.2 per cent compared to the previous year. However, there was a glimmer of hope in the last quarter, which saw a 1.5 per cent increase. Overall, domestic automobile sales grew by 7.3 per cent, while exports across all vehicle categories increased by 19.2 per cent during the financial year ending March 2025.
IANS