Maruti Suzuki blames high taxes for low car ownership in the country

India’s biggest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd., said government levies put vehicles beyond the reach of much of the population, adding to criticism of the country’s tax regime from Tesla Inc. and Toyota Motor Corp.
 

“Government policies are such that they treat cars as luxury products that need to be heavily taxed,” Maruti Chairman R.C. Bhargava said at an event in New Delhi Monday. “Car affordability is not at all related to income.” 

Car-industry growth in India has slowed to 3% from 12% in the past twelve years, partly due to poor government policies, Bhargava said.

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