'Limited' production starts at Maruti strike plant

India's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki, resumed "limited" production Monday at a plant hit by a bitter labour dispute that has cost the Japanese-controlled firm hundreds of millions of dollars. Striking workers, protesting Maruti's refusal to recognise their union and the growing use of contract workers, ended an eight-day occupation of the plant in north India on Friday night, in line with a court order. "Production has started in a limited way at the plant in Manesar. To start with, the weld shop has been made operational," the company said in a statement Monday. However, workers continued to protest outside the plant and the company said it expected talks between management and the strikers to resume later in the day. The dispute had brought output at the plant to a total halt. Maruti, 54.2 percent owned by Suzuki Motor Corp, says the work stoppages have cost the company at least 17.50 billion rupees ($356.5 million) in lost output since June. India is critical to Suzuki Motor's fortunes as it is its biggest foreign market. Maruti makes nearly half the cars sold in the country and is credited with revolutionising transport in India by making affordable cars for a burgeoning middle class.