Stricter emissions rules will hit car sales, says Maruti Suzuki chairman

Automakers last week urged the government to defer tougher emissions standards

India’s biggest automaker has warned that strict European-style emissions rules due to start next year will force up car prices, dealing another blow to an industry that was in a slump even before the pandemic hit.
 

“Demand will fall further, and instead of any growth there will be a decline in the industry,” Maruti Suzuki India Ltd. Chairman R.C. Bhargava said in an interview. “The industry view is that it’s already suffering a decline because of Covid, and on top of that we add further to the cost of vehicles because of new regulations.”

Automakers last week urged the government to