Maruti Suzuki India Ltd.

Maruti Suzuki is likely to defer proposed investments in Gujarat as rising interest rates and fuel prices in a cooling economy force prospective buyers to retreat. The world's second fastest growing market for vehicles has seen passenger car sales slump by 4% this fiscal. However, the company would go ahead with planned investments of Rs 3,000-4,000 crore in its existing plants, a new unit in Manesar, research and development, and in setting up stockyards across the country. Maruti's woes were compounded by a series of labour strikes early this year that crippled production at its key plants in Manesar in Haryana.