New Delhi resident Rajesh Kumar could not think of a better time to replace his 10-year old Hyundai Santro."The price is right, the sales people are also very good. And I am buying a car this month because it’s the Hindu religious festival of Navatri," he said.For those in the market for a new car in India, this could not be a better time, as dealers are offering discounts to get people in the door.Sales in the world’s second fastest growing automotive market are expected to post their first annual decline since 2003.The Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers says the industry will miss all growth targets this year,noting that the sale of passenger cars was down 12 percent in January compared to the same period last year.Sharad Mehra owns four auto dealerships in and around New Delhi, including this Hyundai showroom in Gurgaon.He says the stagnant market has his employees working harder for a sale."Earlier, what used to happen is we used to sit in the showrooms and wait for customers to come in, walk in - we used to try to convert that.But now, they are all trying to go out, go and reach the customer. The customer gives a call, we try to go out to him," he said.Rajiv Kumar, with India’s Center for Policy Research, says the steep fall in car sales reflects the frustration and despondency of those most affected by India’s slumping economy.He says people are finding it harder to make aspirational purchases, including upgrading from owning a motorcycle to a car.
