India's leading car manufacturer Maruti Suzuki is trying to increase sales in overseas markets as demand in domestic market is slowing.

Maruti, which accounts for nearly 40 per cent of India's passenger car market, has long been struggling to boost sales as Indian car market has been suffering declining sales for the past eight consecutive months. Cut-throat competition from global auto manufacturers has just added to Maruti's woes.

Maruti, which is 56.2 per cent owned by Japan's Suzuki Motor Corporation, is now seeking to sell more cars in foreign markets to offset declining demand in the domestic market.

During a conference call with analysts, a Maruti executive said, "Exports are high on our agenda particularly when the domestic markets are not growing."

However, the car manufacturer expects no increase in export volumes in the current fiscal. In the April to June quarter, the company sold 266,434 vehicles, and exports accounted for nearly 8 per cent of the total sales.

Maruti's net profit increased 49 per cent year-on-year to Rs 6.32 billion in the three months ended June 30, missing analysts' average projection of Rs 6.62 billion for the period.