Out of Fuel: Auto Expo 2018 shows inequitable growth in India's automobile industry
Beyond the fancy neon lights and the usual razzmatazz, the 14th Delhi Auto Expo, being held in Greater Noida on the outskirts of New Delhi, is exposing the soft underbelly of the domestic automobile industry. While there are always a few companies which skip the event every other year, the list of absentees from this years seven day event starting February 8 is long. The two dozen absentees include two wheeler makers such as Bajaj Auto, Royal Enfield, Harley Davidson and Triumph to mass market car companies Ford, Nissan, Volkswagen, Datsun and Skoda to luxury heavyweights Audi, Volvo, Jeep and Jaguar Land Rover. The reasons for the no show vary from lack of exciting products and disillusionment with the concept of the show to high cost that ensures a poor return on investment. A typical 4,000 square metre stall costs upwards of Rs 3
