NRI gift-a-car program — Maruti Suzuki DIL SE

What is the DIL SE program?

Maruti Suzuki's "DIL SE" is a purchasing program aimed at Non-Resident Indians who want to gift a car to a relative back home. Rather than wait weeks for delivery through a local dealership, the NRI places the order online and payment is settled from abroad.

A first-hand account

I used this program to buy a Maruti Swift. Before ordering, I contacted the project manager to confirm the model was in stock.

The timeline ran like this:

• 15 October 2007 — I ordered online and paid ₹4,34,111 by credit card for a Maruti Swift VXI. Registration costs were handled locally and were not included.
• 19 October — A dealership representative contacted me for payment details for the RTO fees.
• 22 October — Wonder Cars Pune visited to discuss options and collected ₹33,363 for road tax and registration.
• 31 October — The car was delivered to my residence in Pune, presented with ribbons, balloons, and the usual traditional offerings.

Why it's worth considering

Genuine manufacturer discounts like DIL SE are different from dealer promotions, which usually depend on financing arrangements with inflated interest rates. Going through the NRI program saved me around ₹12,000 compared with local dealer prices.

Signing up involves going online, selecting the vehicle, generating a quote, designating the recipient, and choosing a payment method.

A word on selling later

If the recipient later sells the vehicle, make sure the new buyer completes the registration transfer into their name. Remaining the registered owner after a sale creates liability risks if the buyer is involved in an accident.