Machinery and equipment sector in India (M&E)
India is shifting to a more automated and process-driven way of manufacturing, increasing the demand for high-end machinery.
Schedule a meeting nowThe machinery and equipment sector in India forms the backbone of the manufacturing sector by providing all the necessary equipment and machinery required for production in the country. India is one of the largest exporters of machinery needed for steel, mining, fertilizer, cement, petrochemical and other heavy engineering equipment.
The electrical machinery industry is the largest sub-segment within the sector. This subsector provides equipment for power generation and energy distribution. The expansion of the energy sector has been important in increasing the generation capacity and demand for electrical machinery. With the Indian government’s focus on transitioning to green energy, there is a growing demand for machinery for the solar and wind power sectors.
Snapshot of the machinery and equipment sector in India
- The Indian machinery market is expected to grow by 3.3% between 2024 and 2029 to a market value of 18.3 billion dollars by 2029.
- Production for the construction industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.1%.
- With a CAGR of about 10%, the Indian textile industry is expected to reach a value of 350 billion dollars by 2030. To meet the growing demand, high-quality machinery is needed.
- India is preferred by global manufacturing companies as an outsource destination because of its low costs, favorable investment conditions and large supply of engineers and other design personnel.
- The electrical machinery industry is exempt from previously required licensing. In addition, this market has been opened to 100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). This has eased the entry of major global players into the electrical machinery industry in India.
European machinery manufacturers face easier market access as the India-EU FTA eliminates tariffs of up to 44% on machinery and electrical equipment, the EU’s largest export category to India at 16.3 billion euros in 2024.
This comprehensive tariff elimination over 5-10 years transforms cost structures for Indian manufacturers across automotive, textiles, chemicals, and advanced manufacturing sectors dependent on European capital goods. The agreement supports India’s 1 trillion dollars manufacturing target by 2025-26, creating sustained demand for advanced production equipment, automation systems, and Industry 4.0 technologies where European manufacturers hold technological leadership.
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Growth drivers of the machinery and equipment sector in India
- India’s push toward Industry 4.0 and smart manufacturing creates surging demand for sensor-enabled, IoT-connected machinery, cloud-based production systems, and advanced automation equipment—areas of strong European technological leadership.
- The demand for more high-end equipment and technologically advanced machinery is driven by the aerospace, automotive and defense industries.
- These sectors increasingly require CNC machines, precision tooling, and advanced manufacturing systems, with the machine tool market expanding from 2.7 billion dollars in 2022 to 3.9 billion dollars in 2025.
- The agricultural machinery industry needs tillage machinery, tractors, processing machinery, crop protection machinery, irrigation and drainage equipment and milling equipment.
- The textile machinery industry in India is the second largest in the world. Manufacturers are increasingly using advanced textile machinery to meet the increasing demand in the world market.
- Government PLI programs across 14 sectors including electronics, pharmaceuticals, and automotive mandate significant capex investments, driving demand for advanced European production equipment to meet quality and productivity benchmarks.
- Zero-tariff access positions European machinery 10-15% more competitively versus Chinese alternatives, enabling premium pricing based on quality, precision, and longevity while addressing India’s China+1 diversification strategies.
Interesting investment opportunities
- CNC Machine Tool Assembly: Establish local assembly operations for CNC machining centers in Bangalore or Pune, combining European precision engineering with local manufacturing to serve aerospace, defense, and automotive sectors under government procurement preferences.
- Textile Machinery Modernization: Deploy advanced weaving, knitting, and dyeing machinery for India’s $350 billion textile sector, which requires massive equipment upgrades to compete globally following FTA-driven export opportunities to EU markets.
- Industrial Automation Systems: Supply robotic assembly lines, automated material handling systems, and smart factory solutions for India’s 13 billion dollar industrial automation market in 2025, growing at 10% CAGR driven by labor cost pressures.
- Food Processing Equipment: Provide advanced food processing, packaging, and cold chain equipment for India’s expanding food processing sector, targeting government initiatives to reduce post-harvest losses and increase value addition.
- Construction & Mining Equipment: Supply specialized construction equipment, tunnel boring machines, and mining machinery for India’s National Infrastructure Pipeline, leveraging European technology leadership in heavy engineering.
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