Mohit Sharan had booked a Hyundai Creta in September this year hoping for delivery in November on the auspicious occasion of Diwali. If Sharan is lucky, he will get the car delivered to him by the end of December. Just like Sharan, thousands of other Indians with pockets deep enough to be able to plan big-ticket purchases amid the pandemic have had to wait for months for their cars.
The reason behind this delay in car deliveries is the global shortage of semiconductors, also known as the chip shortage, that has dented sales in 169 industries, including automobiles, computers, mobile phones, healthcare equipment, among others.