India: Strike at Maruti Suzuki called off

Maruti Suzuki is India's top car maker

Workers at India's top car maker Maruti Suzuki have called off a 13-day strike which had seriously affected production.

The company has agreed to reinstate 11 sacked employees, and the workers have agreed not to form a new union.

Nearly 2,000 workers had gone on strike demanding recognition of a new workers union.

Maruti Suzuki, a joint venture partner of Japan's Suzuki Motor Corporation, has 50% of India's booming car market.

The strike had affected production at the company's main factory in Manesar in Haryana, which makes more than 1,000 cars a day.

Reports say that the company has agreed to take back 11 workers who had been dismissed for leading the strike.

But it did not concede to the workers' demand for a new union - the company already has one recognised workers union.

Maruti Suzuki has two factories in India and plans to spend more than $1bn (£620m) over the next three years to boost capacity in a market where vehicle sales grew by a record 30% last year.