New Delhi, Nov. 6 -- Maruti Suzuki India expects its retail sales to grow 12-15% during the extended festive period this year, supported by strong demand across its passenger vehicle portfolio. The automaker delivered 30,000 vehicles on Dhanteras, while its pending bookings have climbed to 2.53 lakh units, highlighting the challenge of meeting customer demand.

The strong festive performance comes amid a broader recovery in India's passenger vehicle market. Automakers have reported improved customer sentiment and higher showroom footfalls following the GST rate rationalisation. For Maruti Suzuki, however, the immediate challenge is to improve vehicle availability and convert its growing booking pipeline into deliveries.

Partho Banerjee, ...