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  • Infinet Wireless expands footprint with new regional office in Delhi

    Infinet Wireless expands footprint with new regional office in Delhi

    Infinet Wireless, the global leader in fixed wireless broadband connectivity, has opened a new regional office in India in line with the company’s growth strategy of accessing emerging markets. This new presence will be managed by Hari Shanker Pandey, a Regional Director. Mr. Pandey has considerable experience in the telecom and high-tech industry has been in charge of business development and sales growth in various companies. He will steer the strategic growth directions of Infinet Wireless by applying his knowledge and skills to work on expanding Infinet Wireless’ presence in India and nearby countries.

    Infinet Wireless’ office in this region was opened at the beginning of 2021. At the moment, the company is actively preparing the ground for testing deployment of its equipment and dealing with local partners and integrators. Infinet Wireless’ goals in the market are to reach out to local telecom segment, including connection provision to corporate and municipal clients, as well as middle-scale and large-scale operators; organizing radio links with mobile objects in the mining industry and deployment of technological lines for customers of different types.

    Infinet Wireless is planning the launch of its innovative solutions to a completely new market for the company, starting with its Quanta 5 / Quanta 6 product family aimed at organizing PtP radio links. In addition, Infinet Wireless can offer base stations and subscriber terminals of InfiMAN Evolution product family. These provide excellent throughput for PtMP radio links, and are compatible with Infinet Wireless products of previous generation, enabling operators to both deploy new infrastructures and expand coverage of existing networks in the 4.9–6.5 GHz range.

    One of the most outstanding features of Infinet Wireless devices is that it can work in the harshest weather conditions, as are typical for India, which is famous for its extremely high humidity and heavy rains, while in the highlands, low temperatures and strong winds can be a feature as well.

    Infinet Wireless products are also well-known for having one of the world’s longest mean times between failures, which is almost 10 years. It can be said that Infinet Wireless solutions represent carrier-grade products, whose quality is assured by Service Level Agreement (SLA).

    ‘India is a very prominent market for Russia, and we’re proud of the fact that Infinet Wireless, being a company of Russian origin, has an opportunity to enter this market and open a regional office there. Taking into account the close and cordial relationship between Russia and India, we count on a warm welcome for our solutions. India is a huge market with a developing infrastructure, and we’re sure that our products will be integrated perfectly into this strategically important sector for country’s economy ‘, said Roman Smirnov, Commercial Director at Infinet Wireless.

    Currently the company’s representatives are actively negotiating a certification of Infinet Wireless solutions and building the first testing zones.

    Established in 1993, Infinet Wireless is the global developer and manufacturer of reliable Broadband Wireless Access solutions used to create carrier-grade wireless backbones and access networks for service providers. The products are also a natural choice for global communication providers, corporations and municipalities who require uncompromised connectivity.

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  • Indian officials to examine Amazon after Reuters probe

    Indian officials to examine Amazon after Reuters probe

    India’s federal financial crime-fighting agency will examine findings in a Reuters report, which revealed that Amazon.com Inc has for years given preferential treatment to a small group of sellers on its India platform and used them to circumvent the country’s foreign investment rules, a senior agency source told Reuters on Thursday.

    It provided an inside look at the cat-and-mouse game Amazon has played with India’s government, adjusting its corporate structures each time the government imposed new restrictions aimed at protecting small traders.

    On Thursday, a senior Enforcement Directorate source told Reuters that “we will be examining findings” of the story. The subject matter “is not entirely new for us,” said the source, without elaborating. The source asked not to be identified.

    Amazon didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Amazon is already under investigation by India’s Enforcement Directorate for possible violation of foreign investment rules. Such probes typically take years in India, and in most cases, details aren’t made public. In the Reuters report published Wednesday, Amazon said it was confident of its compliance when asked about the agency’s probe.

    In tweets issued on Wednesday, Amazon criticized the Reuters report as “unsubstantiated, incomplete, factually incorrect,” without going into specifics. “In last several years, there have been (a) number of changes in regulations; Amazon has on each occasion taken rapid action to ensure compliance,” the company said.

    In an e-mail to employees on Thursday, Amazon’s India head Amit Agarwal addressed the Reuters story, saying he understood “such instances can be distracting.”

    The company was on “the threshold of creating a legacy,” he wrote in the e-mail, which was reviewed by Reuters. “It will require significant innovation, it will push our abilities, we will be misunderstood, but it will be fulfilling.”

    Indian retailers, who are a crucial part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s support base, have long alleged that e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart’s Flipkart flout federal regulations and that their business practices hurt small traders. The companies deny the allegations.

    The documents reviewed by Reuters revealed that Amazon helped a small number of sellers prosper on its India platform, giving them discounted fees and helping one cut special deals with big tech manufacturers such as Apple Inc. The company has also exercised significant control over the inventory of some of the biggest sellers on Amazon.in, the documents show, even though it says publicly that all sellers operate independently on its platform.

    Government rules announced in 2016 required that an e-commerce platform should “not exercise ownership” over sellers’ inventory.

    Gopal Krishna Agarwal, a national spokesman for Modi’s ruling party, said the findings in the Reuters story were “serious” and that “any predatory policy, deep discounting … will not be tolerated by the government. The party will take a stand on that.”

    Small businesses are “very important” for the party, he said. “Their concerns will be taken care of.”

    In a written response to the Reuters report published on Wednesday, Amazon said it “does not give preferential treatment to any seller on its marketplace,” and that it “treats all sellers in a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory manner.”

    A leading group of Indian retailers urged the government to ban the local operations of Amazon and said it was considering taking legal action, after the Reuters story was published.

    The Confederation of All India Traders, which says it represents 80 million retail stores, said “the shocking revelations” are “sufficient enough to immediately ban operations of Amazon in India.”

    Amazon did not respond to a request for comment on the trader group’s statement.

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  • India Proposes Crypto Ban and E-Rupee Plans

    India Proposes Crypto Ban and E-Rupee Plans

    Indian authorities plan to propose a new law to ban private cryptocurrencies and implement a framework for an official central bank digital currency.

    India will seek «to prohibit all private cryptocurrencies in India», according to a legislative agenda published by the lower house’s website on Friday last wee, with exceptions for certain purposes such as the promotion of the underlying technology and its uses.

    In addition, lawmakers will look to «create a facilitative framework for the creation of the official digital currency to be issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

    Not unlike other central banks, the RBI has been accelerating efforts to launch its own electronic money and tighten regulation against cryptocurrencies. It first issued an order in April 2018 to cut ties with all individuals or businesses dealing in digital currencies like Bitcoins within three months.

    But India’s Supreme Court subsequently overturned the ban by allowing banks to handle crypto transactions from exchanges and traders.

    The pushback reflects broader shifts in sentiments worldwide, particularly amongst banks that have been demonstrating increasing openness to cryptocurrencies.

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  • Indian investment in Vietnam yet to match potential

    Indian investment in Vietnam yet to match potential

    Indian foreign direct investment in Vietnam is relatively modest because of the lack of trade promotion activities, says a deputy minister of planning and investment.

    “Bilateral trade and investment relationship has seen many positive results in recent times but is still not commensurate with the potentials of both countries,” said Tran Duy Dong said at a recent forum.

    India ranked 26th in foreign direct investment in Vietnam with 296 projects and a combined registered capital of around $900 million last year, compared to Thailand (9th) and Malaysia (8th), according to official figures.

    One of the reasons for this is the lack of information sharing via trade promotion activities between the two countries, Dong said, adding that more offline and online trade activities should be organized.

    Pranay Verma, Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, said his country, with a population of 1.4 billion, is a large and potential market for Vietnamese companies to invest in.

    In recent years, direct flights between the largest cities of the two countries have been opened and this will serve to boost trade, he said.

    Don Lam, deputy head of Vietnam’s Private Economic Development Research Board, said that the two countries are seeing positive figures in trade relations with Vietnam’s imports from India rising 65 percent between 2017 and 2020 to reach $4.5 billion.

    Vietnam’s exports to India in the period surged nearly three times to $6.7 billion, he said.

    Many Indian companies are looking at Vietnam as an attractive investment destination and a hub for transferring goods to Southeast Asian countries, he added.

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  • Maruti Suzuki Hikes Prices Due To Higher Costs

    Maruti Suzuki Hikes Prices Due To Higher Costs

    Maruti Suzuki India Ltd will raise prices for some car models to mitigate the impact of rising costs, the country’s largest automaker by market value said on Monday.

    The move comes after rival Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd increased prices of its personal and commercial vehicles by 1.9% this month due to higher commodity prices and input costs.

    Indian automakers were already under pressure due to costs and weak demand when the pandemic dealt a blow last March.

    Since then, carmakers have resumed operations and seen demand return during India’s festive season in October-November, but have warned of demand uncertainties ahead.

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  • Tata Puts Post-Pandemic Bet On Digital

    Tata Puts Post-Pandemic Bet On Digital

    Tata Group plans to invest in digital, high-end electronics and healthcare in a post-pandemic world, the $100 billion conglomerate’s chairman said on Thursday. Tata, whose operations span hotels, steel, airlines, electronic goods and technology services, will also place big bets on electric vehicles, renewable energy and battery storage, N Chandrasekaran, who is also known as Chandra, added.

    “When you look at trends for the future, definitely there are clear signs you can pick up. Anything that is digital, we’re making a big bet on,” Chandra told the Reuters Next conference.

    The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated the adoption of technology, changing the way people live, work and consume as well as how companies operate, he added.

    Tata has already made public its intent to launch an umbrella app enabling access to all its consumer businesses, Chandra said, in a concept borrowed from China where apps such as Alipay allow everything from hotel bookings to e-commerce. Tata is also building an online business-to-business platform.

    The owner of British luxury brand Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) is placing big bets on electric vehicles as well as on battery storage and renewable energy for consumer and industrial use.

    “We are very serious about electric vehicles,” Chandra said, adding that Tata is investing in developing clean technology cars at home through Tata Motors and at JLR.

    Automakers are investing in EVs, largely driven by tighter government regulations on polluting vehicles, with Tesla, now the world’s most valuable car company, readying plans to launch in India this year.

    Chandra said the adoption of technology and shift in consumer and corporate behavior will lead to the creation of new and shared workplaces closer to where people live.

    Meanwhile, there will be a higher degree of automation in Indian factories driven by greater use of artificial intelligence, internet of things or connected devices and data.

    With some of these changes unlikely to reverse, Chandra is looking at new opportunities for Tata, particularly as India’s economy springs back from damage during the early stages of the pandemic last year.

    “I’ve been quite surprised with the speed with which the economy is recovering and bouncing back,” he said, adding that several Tata companies are already recovering losses as demand picks up except in areas like airlines.

    COVID-19 has also forced Tata to be more resilient to disruption in the global supply chains it depends on and for Chandra, one way to do this is to be a part of it.

    “There are couple of industries we have already identified. One is electronics, high-tech manufacturing, where we’ve already started the foray and we are developing plans for the future.”

    Tata also plans to cater to growing demand for medical devices in India and around the world, Chandra said.

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  • Tata Motors’ Global Wholesales Grew 1% In Q3 FY2021

    Tata Motors’ Global Wholesales Grew 1% In Q3 FY2021

    Tata Motors has released the Group’s global wholesales numbers for the third quarter of Financial Year 2020-21. In the quarter that ended on December 31, 2020, Tata Motors Group’s global wholesales stood at 2,78,915 units (including Jaguar Land Rover), registering a marginal 1 percent growth as compared to what the company sold during the October-December period in 2019. However, compared to the second quarter that ended on September 30, 2020 (Q2 FY2021), when the company’s total wholesales were 2,02,873 units, Tata has witnessed a 37 percent growth.

    Between October and December 2020, the Tata Motors Groups passenger car wholesales stood at 1,88,550 units, witnessing a growth of 4 percent compared to Q3 FY2020. Out of this, global wholesales from Jaguar Land Rover alone accounted for 1,19,658 vehicles, which includes the 17,078 vehicles sold by CJLR the joint venture between JLR and Chery Automobiles, in Q3 FY21. Jaguar’s wholesales for the quarter were 22,466 vehicles, while Land Rover’s wholesales for the quarter were 97,192 units.

    Tata Motors vehicle sales in the domestic market have also been quite impressive in the previous quarter. Between October and December 2020, the company’s total Passenger Vehicle (PV) sales stood at 68,803 units, registering a massive 89 percent growth as compared to Q3 FY2020, when it sold 36,354 units. It was Tata’s highest-ever quarterly results for passenger vehicles in 33 quarters or over eight years.

    At the same time, the Group’s global wholesales from commercial vehicles, including, the Tata Daewoo range in Q3 FY21 were at 90,365 units, witnessing a decline of 4 percent, compared to what to company sold in Q3 FY20.

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  • Tesla To Set-up Operations In Bengaluru, Registers Indian Subsidiary

    Tesla To Set-up Operations In Bengaluru, Registers Indian Subsidiary

    The wait is nearly over as American electric carmaker Tesla is all set to set-up operations in India and zeroed down on Karnataka, as its preferred state to set-up its headquarters. The electric auto giant has registered its Indian subsidiary under the name ‘Tesla India Motors and Energy Private Ltd’, which was incorporated in Bengaluru on January 8, 2021. The company is expected to commence operations by June this year and the first product to be made available will be the Model 3 sedan, according to reports.

    According to the document filed with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs, Vaibhav Taneja, Venkatrangam Sreeram, and David Jon Feinstein have been named as directors. The company has been registered as a private unlisted company with an authorized capital of ₹ 15,00,000 and a paid-up capital of ₹ 100,000. The document also reiterates Tesla co-founder and CEO, Elon Musk’s tweet last year that said the automaker would enter India “next year for sure.

    India has been on Tesla’s radar since 2016 but plans did not materialize despite a number of speculations. It was also reported recently that state governments including Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka had talks with the automaker to set-up operations in their region, while the company is also considering local partnerships. Reportedly, the Karnataka government has already offered a land parcel to Tesla in Tumkur, on the outskirts of Bengaluru, to set-up a manufacturing facility.

  • International Driving Permits Can Now Be Renewed While Abroad

    International Driving Permits Can Now Be Renewed While Abroad

    The Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH) issued a notification about a week ago to the effect that Indian citizens can now renew their International Driving Permit (IDP) while they are abroad, in case their IDP expires. The new amendment allows Indian citizens to apply for renewal of their IDP through Indian embassies and Missions abroad. The said applications will then be moved to the VAHAN portal in India and will be considered for renewal by respective RTOs. After renewal, the IDPs will be couriered by the RTOs to Indian citizens at their respective addresses abroad.

    The amendment also removes the requirement of providing a medical certificate and a valid visa at the time of applying for IDP in India. MoRTH believes that a citizen who has a valid driving license should not have a requirement for another medical certificate. Plus, there are countries that offer a visa on arrival or cases where visas have been issued at the very last moment. Keeping these conditions in mind, the government will now allow IDP applications without a visa.

    The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has extended the validity of vehicular documents till March 31, 2021. The Ministry decided to take this step to prevent the spread of COVID-19. MoRTH has also issued a directory to the States and Union Territory administrations regarding the extension for the validity of documents. As per the notification, vehicular documents like fitness certificates, permits, driving license, registration certificates, and others will remain valid till the end of March 2021.

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  • Honda 2Wheeler India Likely To Start Production On Gujarat Plant’s Third Line In Next 2-3 Years

    Honda 2Wheeler India Likely To Start Production On Gujarat Plant’s Third Line In Next 2-3 Years

    Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India is likely to initiate production on the third line of its Gujarat Plant in the next two to three years. According to a recent report from PTI, the two-wheeler manufacturer took this step as demand has shrunk in the market due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company commenced the construction activity of a third line to add six lakh units per annum at its Gujarat plant to increase total capacity to 12 lakh units per annum.

    Yadvinder Singh Guleria, Director – Sales & Marketing, HMSI said, “As for our new line which we had made in our fourth factory in Gujarat, we call it our third line. The construction activity and other activities went on as per schedule. However, we have put on hold the decision on when to start production at that line because the overall market has shrunk. In terms of demand, the existing lines and existing capacity are good enough to take care of the demand, which is currently in the market and in the coming next two years or so.”

    He further said, “It depends on how quickly the market rebounds and the new demand shoots, green shoots visible to us. That is the only time we will decide to start production in the third line. From today’s point of view, since the overall market condition is very fluid and a lot of unpredictability around, it looks like two to three years”.

    The company’s business is majorly contributed by scooters which constitute 60 to 65 percent while the remaining business comes from motorcycles. Currently, the two-wheeler maker has four production facilities across the country that are located at Manesar in Harayana, Tapukara in Rajasthan, Narsapura in Karnataka and Vithalapur in Gujarat. The total annual production capacity of all these four plants stands at 64 lakh units.

    The company official said the Indian two-wheeler industry has been hit adversely due to the pandemic which is down by 25 percent. While motorcycle and scooter segments are down by 22 percent and 33 percent respectively. However, the company had to face its challenges as the business is majorly driven from urban India, which had been in the lockdown for a significant number of days than the rural India that reflected on the business.

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  • JK Tyre Partners With Hyundai To Supply Tyres For The Creta

    JK Tyre Partners With Hyundai To Supply Tyres For The Creta

    JK Tyre India has joined hands with Hyundai Motor India to become its official tyre partner for the Creta. JK Tyre has been introducing hi-technological products that are specifically designed for Indian roads. The top-end variants of the Hyundai Creta are equipped with 17-inch alloy wheels and JK Tyre will be supplying its UX Royale 215/60 R17 radial tyre to the Korean carmaker. The tyre has been designed to suit the dynamics of the model and bring in a good balance between handling and right comfort.

    Commenting on the partnership, VK Misra, Technical Director, JK Tyre and Industries said, “We are proud to further strengthen our partnership with Hyundai India for one of India’s best-selling SUV’s Creta. Through this collaboration, we aim to provide supreme quality tyres with cutting-edge features to complement the ride quality for the customer. JK Tyre’s best-in-class technologies in radial tyres and tyre testing mechanism will ensure safety of customers driving Creta in multiple terrains. We are confident that this association will further strengthen our market presence and we look forward to a continued and reinforced partnership with Hyundai Motors.”

    Commenting on the partnership, Hyundai Motor India said, “All New Creta has been a benchmark SUV ever since it was launched in March 2020. Offering customers exceptional performance, unparalleled comfort & convenience as well as opulent aesthetics, the Creta continues to be the customers’ brand of choice. Our partnership with JK Tyre to offer the Creta with UX Royale 215/60 R17, continues to carry forward this SUV’s premium offering with superior handling & driving dynamics.”

    JK Tyre is claiming that the UX Royal 215/60 R17 tyre is the perfect fit for Hyundai Creta. With its 5-Rib asymmetric design, variable draft groove technology, stable shoulder tread blocks, waffle groove and aero wing design, it supports the dynamics of the car very aptly. JK Tyre is also the official tyre partner of Kia Motors for the Seltos.

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  • Honda Two-Wheeler India Announces Voluntary Retirement Scheme For Employees

    Honda Two-Wheeler India Announces Voluntary Retirement Scheme For Employees

    Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India has initiated a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for the company’s permanent employees. The decision comes in the middle of challenging market conditions and a downturn in the Indian economy, although the automotive industry has seen somewhat of a bounceback after the challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic. The VRS will run from January 5 till January 23 this year and cover permanent employees, barring director-level officials. Permanent employees who have completed 10 years with the company as on January 31, 2021 or who are above 40 years of age can opt for the V ₹

    In a statement, HMSI said that the Indian auto industry is going through an exceptionally challenging phase from the past three years “considering the prolonged demand slowdown and overall economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic.”

    “The VRS scheme announcement for our associates is a part of Honda’s overall production realignment strategy across all 4 factories to improve our operational efficiency with the objective of ensuring long-term business sustainability,” HMSI said in a press statement.

    “As part of this strategy, the Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) option for all eligible permanent associates. It gives a new opportunity to those associates who may wish to explore new dimensions in their life and empowers them with best among the industry financial and healthcare benefits, while helping the organisation improve its overall operational efficiency,” the statement added.

    Under the VRS, Senior Managers, Vice-Presidents and permanent workmen can get a maximum amount of ₹ 72 lakh. Managers can get ₹ 67 lakh, Deputy Manager , Assistant Manager, Senior Executive, Executive and Assistant Executive. The company is also offering ₹ 5 lakh extra for the first 400 employees who opt for the scheme.

    In December 2020, HMSI reported domestic sales of 2,42,046 units, just a 5 percent increase over the same month a year ago. Exports accounted for 20,981 units, with total December 2020 sales at 2,63,027 units. The October to December 2020 quarter stood out as the first quarter of the current financial year where Honda reported positive sales.

  • Honda To Pull The Plug On Car Sales In Russia In 2022

    Honda To Pull The Plug On Car Sales In Russia In 2022

    Honda Motor Company has said that it won’t be supplying new cars to its authorized dealers in Russia in 2022 as the company is trying to restructure its operations. The Japanese automaker has confirmed that it would keep its presence in the Russian market with motorcycle and power equipment sales only. The news comes after a drastic drop of 50 percent in its sales operations last month in Russia.

    Even in India, Honda has shut down its Greater Noida plant and has shifted its entire production unit to the company’s other facility in Tapukara, Rajasthan. The carmaker has said that it has realigned its production operations “to maintain sustainability by leveraging production and supply chain efficiencies.” To that effect, from this month, the manufacturing operations for vehicles and components will happen at the Tapukara plant for all domestic sales and exports. Until last month, the Greater Noida plant produced models like the Honda City sedan, CR-V SUV, and the Civic sedan. While the transition will see the production of the City move entirely to the Tapukara unit, at present, the company has also stopped the production of its flagship models, the Civic sedan and CR-V SUV.

    As far as the Russian market is concerned, Honda does not have any manufacturing unit in Russia unlike its other Japanese counterparts like Toyota and Nissan. All Honda models are sold as CBUs in the Russian market and the carmaker sold just 79 units last month. Its sales from January to November were down by 15 percent at 1,383 units, while over 1.3 million new cars were sold in Russia during that period.

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  • Tata grabs bigger slice of AirAsia India

    Tata grabs bigger slice of AirAsia India

    A number of bids have been put forward for India’s loss-making national carrier, including one on behalf of its employees. The Indian government had tried to offload its stake in Air India in 2018 but failed to attract a single bid. One group is representing employees and plans to offer them a controlling stake in the struggling airline. Another bid is reported to have been put forward by the Tata Group, which originally founded the airline in 1932.

    Tata, which owns Jaguar Land Rover, sold its stake to the government in the 1950s. India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is keen to sell the government’s entire interest in the airline, which has been kept aloft by a bailout and racked up billions in debts. The airline has many assets, including prized slots at London’s Heathrow airport, a fleet of more than 100 planes and thousands of trained pilots and crew. One of the bids put in ahead of this week’s deadline was from US-based investment firm, Interups.

    Under its plan, Interups will hold 49% of Air India while a controlling stake of 51% will be held by its employees.

    “We are giving an open offer to employees of Air India to substantially own the airline,” Interups chairman Laxmi Prasad told the BBC.

    “Our group will invest the entire monies required for the airline, with no capital requirement from employees to contribute into the acquisition effort.”

    Calling them the “backbone to run the airline”, Mr Prasad added that the 51% stake would be “in exchange for the deep intangible contribution you all would be making for the airline.”

    “No-one knows Air India better than its employees and management.”

    “Any new owners will need to invest heavily in Air India, improving its technology and customer services operations,” said Jitendra Bhargava, former Executive Director of Air India and author of the book, The Descent of Air India.

    “But India is a growing market and offers huge potential. My take is that Air India is better run as a private company than by bureaucrats.”

    Interups, which specialises in turning companies around, says it has also targeted another Indian airline, and if successful, will merge it with Air India. They have not specified which airline that could be.

    “The combined operations will make Air India a global leader for passenger traffic to and from India,” said Mr Prasad.

    He described the potential battle with Tata for the airline as David versus Goliath. “But David mastered the winning, and we are equally confident.”

    The Indian government is expected to notify the qualified bidders in early January 2021.

  • India Seeks Comment On Proposal To Make Airbags Mandatory For Car Front Passengers

    India Seeks Comment On Proposal To Make Airbags Mandatory For Car Front Passengers

    India on Tuesday sought public comment on a proposal to make airbags mandatory for the front passenger in all cars from next year, in a move that could raise costs for automakers slowly seeing a revival in demand.

    Carmakers are required to provide an airbag only for the driver, though Indian officials have been talking about the need to improve safety.

    All new models manufactured from April 1, and existing models made from June 1, will have to meet the new guideline if approved, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways said in the notification dated Dec 28.

    It asked for suggestions and objections from the public within 30 days from Tuesday before the rule is implemented.

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