Passenger vehicle registrations in India fell 21.91% during Navratri, as the festival’s overall vehicle tally declined in a year-over-year comparison shaped by a longer 2025 period and tax changes.
The Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA) recorded 1,123,086 registrations from Oct. 11 to Oct. 20, 2026. That was 6.52% below the 1,201,479 registrations in FADA’s latest provisional comparison for 2025. Passenger vehicle registrations dropped to 182,728 from 234,004, while two-wheeler registrations slipped 2.79% to 834,075 from 858,027.
The comparison covers 10 festival days in 2026 and 11 in 2025. FADA President Sai Giridhar said last year’s period also benefited from purchases buyers had delayed until revised goods and services tax (GST) rates took effect. India’s Ministry of Finance said the rates changed on Sept. 22, 2025, the first day of FADA’s 2025 comparison period. The GST rate on small cars fell from 28% to 18%.
FADA’s latest table shows a different picture against the 10-day Navratri period in 2024. Total registrations were 26.76% higher in 2026, and passenger vehicle registrations were up 10.39%. The association lists 885,998 total registrations and 165,534 passenger vehicle registrations for that earlier period.
Electric vehicles gained even against the higher 2025 comparison. Registrations rose 26.78% to 117,437 from 92,628 a year earlier. Electric passenger vehicle registrations increased 25.97% to 12,305 from 9,768.
An earlier nine-day snapshot reported by NDTV Profit put the passenger vehicle decline at 13.66%. FADA’s 21.91% figure covers the completed 10-day period. The association compiled its provisional tally on Oct. 21 from 1,468 of 1,469 regional transport offices; Telangana figures for three-wheelers, commercial vehicles and tractors were unavailable.
The Dhanteras-to-Diwali buying period is the next gauge of festive demand. Giridhar said FADA was “cautiously optimistic” ahead of it.
