India’s truck manufacturers are being forced to suspend production because of falling demand, in the clearest sign yet that the global financial crisis has begun to strike at the heart of Asia’s third-largest economy.

Tata Motors, the country’s largest producer of commercial vehicles, last week shut a key plant for three days and warned that it would suspend production at two more facilities this month. Rival Ashok Leyland is also cutting production to three days a week for the next month.