New Delhi, Sept. 21 -- India's leading automakers and auto component manufacturers are increasingly relying on temporary workers, with non-permanent workers making up nearly 90% of the total worker count at several companies.

A Mint review of the annual reports of leading auto companies shows that the share of temporary workers has risen sharply over the past four fiscal years, as companies expanded production, added shifts and increased factory capacity to capitalise on growth in the Indian market.

The trend is visible across several major automakers, with temporary workers accounting for 83-92% of the workforce at Maruti Suzuki, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd, Tata Motors, Hyundai Motor India and Hero MotoCorp, as well as homegrown auto comp...