The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) is calling for a fundamental shift in India's automotive manufacturing approach, moving beyond the traditional 'Make in India' model to 'Create, Engineer and Innovate in India'. According to ACMA President Vikrampati Singhania, speaking at ACMA's annual session, the industry must take greater ownership of design, technology and product development as global supply chains are reconfigured. Singhania emphasized that "For years, we have spoken about Make in India. The next phase must increasingly be about create in India, engineer in India and innovate in India, for India and for the world." He noted that resilience is about responding to change, while leadership is about changing, stating "The last decade demonstrated that India can manufacture for the world. The decade ahead must demonstrate that India can lead, not merely by surviving uncertainty or adapting to change, but by having the confidence, capability and ambition to shape what comes next."
India's auto component industry has demonstrated remarkable growth, with the sector crossing ₹7.6 lakh crore, or about $86 billion, in FY26, representing a 12.7% growth. As reported by ACMA President Vikrampati Singhania, exports reached $24 billion during the same period. Singhania noted that "These numbers give us confidence, but they should not define the limits of our ambition." The industry's domestic sales grew 13% to 103,118 units while exports fell to 17,493 units, indicating a shift in focus toward domestic market development. The reconfiguration of global supply chains presents significant opportunities for Indian component companies to deepen their role in international automotive supply chains.
The minister highlighted encouraging results from the Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) Scheme for the Automobile and Auto Component Industry. As reported by The Economic Times, Rediff Moneynews, Business Standard, and SiliconIndia, as of 30 June 2026, approved applicants reported investment of ₹45,477 crore, resulting in over 67,000 employment opportunities. Kumaraswamy noted that government schemes are supporting investment, domestic value addition, advanced technology, manufacturing, and the transition to cleaner mobility, with India's green mobility transition gathering momentum. The minister emphasized that "Government initiatives are already supporting areas such as domestic value addition, advanced manufacturing, technology development and manufacturing."
According to the minister, as India advances towards Viksit Bharat 2047, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the shared objective must be clear. As reported by The Economic Times, Rediff Moneynews, Business Standard, and SiliconIndia, Kumaraswamy emphasized that "India should not merely participate in the global mobility transition; India should help lead it." He stressed that the next phase must be about leadership, building scale, deepening localisation, accelerating innovation, and establishing India as a globally competitive hub for advanced and green mobility technologies. Kumaraswamy stated that "This will be important as global automakers and suppliers increasingly shift toward electric and cleaner mobility technologies."
The minister acknowledged the automotive and auto component industry's central role in India's mobility transition. According to The Economic Times, Rediff Moneynews, Business Standard, and SiliconIndia, he noted that the industry supports millions of livelihoods, anchors a vast MSME ecosystem, and has a powerful multiplier effect across steel, electronics, engineering, chemicals, logistics, and services. Kumaraswamy stated that the "Automotive and auto component industry is central to this journey. It supports millions of livelihoods, anchors a vast MSME ecosystem, and has a powerful multiplier effect across steel, electronics, engineering, chemicals, logistics, and services." The Ministry of Heavy Industries will continue to work closely with ACMA, SIAM, and industry stakeholders to improve scheme implementation, resolve operational issues, and create an enabling environment for investment and innovation. ACMA President Singhania emphasized that "Our MSMEs and smaller suppliers must have the opportunity to grow with us" and called for technology, productivity and quality improvements to spread across the entire component ecosystem.
