Sipani Automobiles Ltd. (known as SAIL [Sunrise Automotive Industries Ltd.] until 1978)[1] was an Indian car manufacturer established in 1973, located in Bangalore.[2] They mainly manufactured subcompact cars with fibreglass bodies. They also took over Auto Tractors Limited in 1991 and manufactured diesel engines and tractors in the old ATL factory in Pratapgarh, Uttar Pradesh.[3]
Sipani's predecessor firm Sunrise Automotive Industries Ltd. (SAIL) was one of three companies to receive a very restrictive industrial license for automobile production in 1973. The license did not allow the prospective manufacturers to collaborate with foreign companies, or even to consult with them or import capital goods or components. Sanjay Gandhi was one of the other licensees, and even with extensive government support his Maruti project was unable to get off the ground until the government changed those conditions entirely.[4] Nothing much has ever been heard regarding the third licensee, Manubhai Thakkar.