India Auto Retail Sales Rise 26.76% During Navratri 2026

Navratri 2026 Auto Retail Registrations Reach 11.23 Lakh Units

India Auto Retail Sales totaled 11,23,086 vehicle registrations during the 10-day Navratri 2026 period from October 11 to October 20, according to provisional data released by the Federation of Automobile Dealers Associations (FADA). Registrations increased 26.76% compared with the comparable 10-day Navratri period in 2024, when 8,85,998 units were recorded. However, the 2026 total was 6.52% lower than the 12,01,479 units registered during the 11-day Navratri period in 2025. These comparisons cover different festive-period durations, making the calendar context important when interpreting the figures and assessing retail momentum across the automotive market.

Calendar Differences Shape the Year-on-Year Comparison

FADA President Sai Giridhar said the variation against 2025 was primarily influenced by differences in the festive calendar. Navratri 2025 lasted 11 days and coincided with the implementation of GST 2.0, which consolidated demand into that period. He explained that comparing the 2026 figures with 2024 provides a useful benchmark for understanding underlying retail momentum across key vehicle segments, particularly two-wheelers and electric vehicles. The festive registration data also arrives ahead of the Dhanteras and Diwali sales window, giving dealers and industry participants an indication of demand trends as the wider festive shopping period continues.

Registration Coverage and Data Limitations

The provisional figures were compiled by FADA in collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), using data from 1,468 of India's 1,469 Regional Transport Offices (RTOs). The coverage provides a broad view of vehicle retail registrations during the festive period, although the figures are not entirely complete. Specifically, the Navratri 2026 totals exclude registrations for three-wheelers, commercial vehicles, and tractors in Telangana because the relevant data was unavailable. These exclusions should be considered when interpreting the national totals and segment comparisons, particularly when evaluating categories whose reported figures may be affected by the missing registrations.

Navratri 2026 Auto Retail Sales by Vehicle Segment

Two-wheelers remained the largest category, with 8,34,075 registrations during the 10-day period. Passenger vehicles recorded 1,82,728 units, while commercial vehicles reached 35,618 registrations. Three-wheelers totaled 45,735 units, and tractor registrations stood at 22,690. Wheeled construction equipment recorded 2,240 units. Compared with 2024, most reported categories registered growth, while wheeled construction equipment declined. Against 2025, the results were more mixed: commercial vehicles and tractors recorded small increases, whereas two-wheelers, passenger vehicles, three-wheelers, and wheeled construction equipment were lower. The differences reflect comparisons with the longer 2025 festive period as well as changes in registrations.

Segment-Wise Registration Figures and Comparisons

Two-Wheeler Registrations Lead the Festive Market

Two-wheeler registrations reached 8,34,075 units, increasing 32.41% from 6,29,909 units during Navratri 2024. Compared with the 8,58,027 units registered across the longer 2025 period, however, the category declined 2.79%. Passenger vehicle retail registrations totaled 1,82,728 units, representing 10.39% growth from 1,65,534 units in 2024 but a 21.91% contraction from 2,34,004 units in 2025. The contrasting results show why both comparison periods matter: the 2024 figures indicate expansion over two years, while the 2025 comparison records a decline against a longer festive window.

Commercial Vehicles, Three-Wheelers, Tractors, and Construction Equipment

Commercial vehicle registrations reached 35,618 units, up 16.47% from 30,580 in 2024 and 1.12% from 35,224 in 2025. Three-wheeler sales totaled 45,735 units, increasing 19.04% from 38,419 in 2024 but falling 7.51% from 49,450 in 2025. Tractor registrations rose to 22,690 units, up 20.21% from 18,875 in 2024 and 0.89% from 22,489 in 2025. By contrast, wheeled construction equipment sales reached 2,240 units, declining 16.45% from 2,681 in 2024 and 1.97% from 2,285 in 2025. These results show differing trends across vehicle categories rather than a uniform movement in festive demand.

Electric Vehicle Retail Sales Increase Across Categories

Electric vehicle (EV) registrations across all categories reached 1,17,437 units during Navratri 2026. That represented an increase of 26.78% from 92,628 units in 2025 and 83.06% from 64,153 units in 2024. EVs accounted for approximately 10.46% of total automotive retail registrations during the festive period, compared with 7.71% in the prior year. The figures indicate that electric vehicles increased both in registered volume and in their share of overall registrations. The reported growth covers several vehicle categories, including electric two-wheelers, electric passenger vehicles, electric three-wheelers, and electric commercial vehicles, although the source provides different comparison details for each category.

Electric Two-Wheelers Record the Highest EV Volume

Electric two-wheelers accounted for the largest volume within the EV category, with 75,758 registrations. This was 33.41% higher than the 56,787 units recorded in 2025 and 87.29% above the 40,450 units registered in 2024. Electric passenger vehicles totaled 12,305 units, an increase of 25.97% from 9,768 units in 2025. Compared with the 3,252 units recorded in 2024, electric passenger vehicle registrations rose 278.38%. These results show particularly strong growth over the two-year comparison for electric passenger vehicles, while electric two-wheelers contributed the highest absolute number of EV registrations during the Navratri period.

Electric Three-Wheeler and Commercial Vehicle Registrations

Electric three-wheelers recorded 28,086 registrations during Navratri 2026, representing a 10.51% increase compared with 2025. Electric commercial vehicle registrations reached 1,288 units, rising 96.04% from 657 units in the previous year. Although the reported electric commercial vehicle total was substantially smaller than the volumes recorded for electric two-wheelers, the percentage increase was higher. The available source figures do not provide a 2024 comparison for either electric three-wheelers or electric commercial vehicles, so a two-year growth rate cannot be established from this data alone. These category-level results add context to the overall increase in EV registrations during the festive period.

Festive Demand Ahead of Dhanteras and Diwali

The Navratri registration results provide an early view of retail activity before the Dhanteras and Diwali sales window. FADA identified two-wheelers and electric vehicles as important segments for assessing underlying momentum in the market. The 2026 figures show growth against the comparable 2024 period, but several categories recorded lower registrations than during the longer Navratri 2025 period. Differences in the number of festive days and the timing of GST 2.0 are important context for interpreting those comparisons. The provisional dataset also has limited gaps, including unavailable registrations for selected vehicle categories in Telangana, which means the reported totals should be read with the stated coverage limitations in mind.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The results suggest that India's festive vehicle market is expanding compared with 2024, while demand varies by segment when measured against the longer 2025 period. Electric vehicles are an important part of this picture: their share of total registrations rose to approximately 10.46%, and electric two-wheelers contributed the largest volume. Dealers and manufacturers can use the figures to assess segment-level retail momentum ahead of Dhanteras and Diwali, but the comparisons require care because calendar differences and the GST 2.0 implementation affected the previous year's festive period. The next useful indicator will be how registrations develop across the remaining festive sales window, although these Navratri figures alone do not establish the final outcome for the season.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many vehicles were registered during Navratri 2026 in India?
India recorded 11,23,086 automotive retail registrations during the 10-day Navratri 2026 period from October 11 to October 20, according to provisional FADA data. The total was 26.76% higher than the 8,85,998 units recorded during the comparable 10-day period in 2024. It was also 6.52% lower than the 12,01,479 units registered during the 11-day Navratri period in 2025. These totals exclude certain registrations for three-wheelers, commercial vehicles, and tractors in Telangana because the data was unavailable.

Why were Navratri 2026 registrations lower than in 2025?
The reported total was lower in 2026 partly because the two festive periods covered different numbers of days, according to FADA President Sai Giridhar. Navratri 2025 spanned 11 days, while the 2026 comparison covers 10 days. The previous year's period also coincided with the implementation of GST 2.0, which consolidated demand into that timeframe. FADA said comparing 2026 with the comparable 10-day period in 2024 offers a useful benchmark for assessing underlying retail momentum. The figures should therefore be interpreted with calendar differences in mind.

Which vehicle segment recorded the highest registrations?
Two-wheelers recorded the highest registrations during Navratri 2026, reaching 8,34,075 units across the 10-day period. The total increased 32.41% compared with 6,29,909 units in the comparable 2024 period, but declined 2.79% from 8,58,027 units during Navratri 2025. Passenger vehicles were the second-largest category in the reported figures, with 1,82,728 registrations. The two-wheeler results make the category a major contributor to overall festive retail volumes, while the different comparison periods help explain why longer-term growth and the latest year-on-year movement differ.

How many electric vehicles were registered during Navratri 2026?
Electric vehicle registrations across all categories reached 1,17,437 units during Navratri 2026, according to the provisional figures. This was an increase of 26.78% from 92,628 units in 2025 and 83.06% from 64,153 units in 2024. EVs accounted for approximately 10.46% of total automotive retail registrations during the festive period, compared with 7.71% in the previous year. The reported categories included electric two-wheelers, passenger vehicles, three-wheelers, and commercial vehicles, with electric two-wheelers contributing the largest volume.

Which electric vehicle category recorded the most registrations?
Electric two-wheelers recorded the highest EV volume during Navratri 2026, with 75,758 registrations. This represented growth of 33.41% compared with 56,787 units in 2025 and 87.29% compared with 40,450 units in 2024. Electric passenger vehicles registered 12,305 units, up 25.97% from 2025 and 278.38% from 2024. Electric three-wheelers recorded 28,086 registrations, while electric commercial vehicles reached 1,288 units. The source reported year-on-year increases of 10.51% and 96.04% for those last two categories, respectively.

How complete are the Navratri 2026 registration figures?
The provisional data was compiled by FADA in collaboration with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways using information from 1,468 of 1,469 Regional Transport Offices. The coverage therefore includes nearly all RTOs, but the figures have a stated limitation. Registrations for three-wheelers, commercial vehicles, and tractors in Telangana were excluded because the data was unavailable. This means the reported national totals do not include those specific records. Readers should consider this limitation when interpreting the overall results and the affected vehicle segments, rather than treating the figures as a fully complete count.