Industry majors yet to confirm participation in Delhi auto show

Our Corporate Bureau

Mumbai,Aug 21: THE prestigious biennial auto show, scheduled for January 2002, may be in trouble with a number of leading players yet to confirm their participation for the event.

Industry sources familiar with the developments said that General Motors India, Honda, Mitshubishi and Volvo are among the major players who have not yet confirmed their participation. But in what might prove the biggest setback, Maruti Udyog Ltd has also not given their nod.

The auto show which is the most prestigious event of its kind in the industry is scheduled to be held at the Pragati Maidan at New Delhi. between January 15 to 26, 2002.

The event is jointly organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) and Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

Industry sources say that the major cause of the players dithering on participation is that there seems to be not much cause for cheer in the industry.

Moreover, the international players feel that showcasing new models does not make much sense at this juncture with the steep hike in import duties on completely built units (CBUs) at 125 per cent.

The cost of showcasing the models including the pavilion costs would add up to Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore. Moreover, the entry fee at around Rs 150 per individual is also being considered inordinately high.

However, the major two-wheeler companies including Bajaj Auto and Hero Honda have already confirmed their participation for the event.
The auto show, which is the biggest of its kind in India is a major platform for automobile manufacturers to showcase their models and also considered important from business potential. However, sources added that the reluctant manufacturers are being persuaded to join the show.