Last month, the government had extended the deadline for automobile makers to use BIS certified locally produced high-grade steel till February

China is both the biggest manufacturer and the biggest market for cars globally. But the car sales fell in 2018 by about six per cent to 22.7 million units for the first time in 20 years.

Gadkari said the first priority of his ministry is to save more lives from road accidents, which account for over 1 lakh deaths each year in the country.

India's auto industry is staring at production stoppages if new tougher rules on steel imports are not relaxed