Tata Motors rejects Maruti’s call for softer emissions on small cars

A rift between India’s top automakers over emission norms has burst into the open. Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles Ltd on Fri day publicly rejected calls for easing norms for small cars, directly countering market leader Maruti Suzuki India Ltd’s longstanding demand for relaxed standards.

- Ayaan Kartik& Nehal Chaliawala

Shailesh Chandra, managing director of the Mumbai based carmaker — and presi dent of industry lobby Siam (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) — said on the sidelines of the company’s Q2 earnings that there was “no justification” for any relaxa tion for small cars in the next phase of emission norms.

He warned that redefining small cars based on weight rather than the current classi fication based on length and engine size would incentivize unsafe designs.

“We do not support any move to include weight in the definition of small car. Such an arbitrary criteria would con flict with one of the country’s most critical imperative that is safety,” Chandra said, without directly name Maruti.