India is positioning itself as a major global hub for construction equipment manufacturing, backed by rising exports, strong policy support, and increasing international market acceptance. At an export competitiveness session jointly hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (ICEMA) during EXCON 2025, senior government officials and industry leaders underlined the sector’s expanding global footprint.
Shri Vimal Anand, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, highlighted India’s growing strength in international markets and confirmed that the government is negotiating trade agreements with Chile, Peru, Canada, MERCOSUR, Mexico, and the Maldives. He stated that the government is committed to concluding these agreements within one year, urging manufacturers to leverage these frameworks to accelerate exports and expand global reach.
India’s construction equipment exports have already made a significant mark. According to Deepak Shetty, Chairman of CII’s Council on Manufacturing Excellence and President of ICEMA, Indian-made construction equipment is now exported to over 135 countries, reflecting the sector’s growing manufacturing capability, reliability, and adherence to global quality benchmarks.
Highlighting India’s competitive advantage, Ajit Pai of Ernst & Young noted that India’s construction equipment industry is growing faster than major global markets, with export growth outpacing domestic market expansion at more than double the rate.
EXCON 2025 also demonstrated India’s innovation capability, featuring advanced digital machinery, energy-efficient systems, and sustainable construction technologies. Ramesh Palagiri, President Designate of ICEMA, emphasized that India is not just a volume manufacturer but an emerging innovation leader shaping next-generation construction equipment.
Looking forward, government leaders outlined ambitious manufacturing targets. Neeraj Huddar from NITI Aayog emphasized that achieving India’s vision of a $5.1 trillion manufacturing GDP will depend heavily on the strategic adoption of advanced technologies and targeted policy support across high-potential sectors such as construction equipment.
The session brought together policymakers, industry leaders, and academia to discuss collaborative strategies aimed at strengthening India’s position as a global manufacturing and export powerhouse for construction and infrastructure machinery.
