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15 years, amounting to `5 lakh crore annually, the scale of work industry characterized by diverse product lines and relatively low
is enormous. As an industry, we need to rethink our approach volumes.
to meet these demands. First, we must make the construction India’s attractiveness as a manufacturing hub has also grown,
equipment (CE) industry more attractive to talent by creating driven in part by global strategies like China Plus One, which has
opportunities and a clear career pathway. Second, fostering self- brought substantial investment into the country. Currently, India
reliance through a robust domestic component manufacturing exports approximately 30,000 units of equipment annually to
ecosystem is critical. The industry is poised to double by 2030 over 100 countries, including the US, Europe, Latin America, and
and potentially grow 2.5 to 3 times within five years after that, Asia. Notably, we export to almost every region except China,
positioning India to become the largest construction equipment showcasing India’s capability to produce high-quality equipment
market globally within a decade. This presents immense potential that meets global standards.
for investment and capacity building, making India an ideal With robust domestic growth on the horizon, the CE industry
destination for global players to establish operations. in India offers incredible scalability and opportunities. While
At the same time, the industry must address key challenges to significant progress has been made, much more remains to be
achieve the goals of a developed Bharat by 2047. Shrinking accomplished. The foundation is strong, and the future looks
timelines demand higher levels of mechanization and more promising for both localization and global competitiveness.
efficient equipment deployment. The quality of projects must
also reflect global standards, requiring advanced technologies In terms of skilling of operators you have taken a lot of initiatives.
and equipment. Lastly, there must be a strong focus on safety Skilling is a key priority for us because, while machines can be
and sustainability, enhancing work practices, adopting cleaner engineered to perfection, it’s skilled individuals who make them
technologies, and improving equipment standards. productive and fuel-efficient. As Chairman of the Skill Council,
The fourth challenge lies in developing a skilled workforce. The I’ve worked extensively to bring more industry focus to this
industry needs to prioritize skilling initiatives to attract, train, and issue. A significant challenge in skilling is the lack of mandatory
retain talent capable of meeting these demands. Collectively certification for construction equipment operators. We are
addressing these challenges will pave the way for achieving the advocating for the government to make operator certification
ambitious infrastructure goals critical to realizing a developed compulsory across all projects. Certified operators will not only
India. ensure safety but also increase productivity. The skill council
is ready to support this initiative, and I envision an ecosystem
We completed 10 years of Make in India mission. Do you really where, within the next 5 to 10 years, all construction machine
think the mission has taken shape? operators are fully certified. This will enable us to maximize
A decade ago, when the Honorable Prime Minister launched the machine performance, safety, and fuel efficiency.
Make in India and Atma Nirbhar Bharat campaigns, we were at
a certain starting point. Today, we’ve come a long way—not yet What are your plans going forward?
at the destination, but the progress has been remarkable. We have made a significant launch with our EC210 Excavator
In the construction equipment (CE) industry specifically, the level and plan to introduce more products in a similar range. Our
of localization has increased significantly. Many global vendors goal is to aggressively capture market share and strengthen
have established operations in India, and several OEMs now our position in the country. Having been in India for 26 years,
manufacture locally. Of the total industry volume of $9.5 billion, we are now focused on expanding our business and achieving
nearly 70% is localized—a commendable achievement for an substantial growth in the years ahead.

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