Navratri auto sales cross 1 million in nine days in India

India's Navratri auto sales crossed the one million mark in just nine days, with 10.32 lakh vehicles registered, or more than one every second, the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) said on October 21. Total retail sales rose 1.95% from 10.12 lakh units in the corresponding nine-day period of 2025, when buyers rushed to showrooms after GST 2.0 rate cuts took effect.

The average pace worked out to nearly 80 vehicles a minute, or about 1.15 lakh registrations a day, across the festival window from October 11 to 19. FADA data showed demand stayed firm despite the high base set by last year's GST-led buying surge. Business Standard reported provisional data for October 11 to 19, against September 22 to 30 last year, the corresponding first nine days of Navratri 2025. Navratri is traditionally an auspicious period for vehicle purchases, and the nine-day tally is read as an early signal for the rest of the festive season, which peaks around Diwali.

The 2025 comparison explains the split picture across segments. GST 2.0 took effect on September 22, 2025, the first day of Navratri last year, after many buyers had deferred purchases in anticipation of lower prices. The release of that pent-up demand lifted Navratri auto sales 34% in 2025, leaving this year's festival with a steep base for comparison.

Two-wheelers carry Navratri auto sales

Two-wheelers did the heavy lifting in this year's Navratri auto sales. Two-wheeler sales rose 5.78% year on year to 7.60 lakh units, accounting for nearly three-fourths of total vehicle sales during the period. Dealers and analysts linked the strength to steady demand in semi-urban and rural markets, where festive purchases often coincide with harvest income. FADA data showed two-wheeler sales at 7,59,684 units, pointing to continued rural demand, Business Standard reported.

Commercial vehicles also pulled their weight in the Navratri auto sales tally. Sales climbed 14.21% to 34,120 units, supported by freight demand, fleet replacement and infrastructure activity, a dealer told NDTV Profit. Tractor registrations rose 8.87% and construction equipment sales grew 10.86% to 2,185 units, while three-wheelers slipped 1.65% to 43,057 units.

Passenger vehicles fall against a high base

Passenger vehicles were the weak spot in the Navratri auto sales numbers. Passenger vehicle sales fell 13.66% year on year to 1.72 lakh units, making cars and SUVs the only major category to record a double-digit decline. FADA data put the drop down to a base effect from last year's GST-led surge, which had brought purchases forward.

Dealers remain cautious on cars. FADA flagged elevated passenger vehicle inventories and financing costs as concerns. One dealer told NDTV Profit the fall in passenger vehicle sales should not be read as a broad demand slowdown, arguing that last year's tax cuts had simply shifted the timing of purchases. The festive window was also shorter this time: Navratri commenced on October 11 this year and spans 10 days including Dussehra, compared with 11 days last year.

Navratri auto sales beat dealer expectations

The overall outcome beat the industry's own expectations. FADA president Sai Giridhar called the trend very positive, saying dealers had been braced for a decline. "This is a very positive sign because we were anticipating negative growth," Giridhar said, according to NewsBytes. The pace of festive buying has made the Navratri auto sales tally a closely watched barometer of consumer sentiment and discretionary spending. FADA said final registration numbers for the festival are still awaited.