Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy with Minister for Large & Medium Industries M.B. Patil and others at ‘IMTEX 2025’, the International Machine Tool and Manufacturing Technology Exhibition, in Bengaluru.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Karnataka generated around 50% of India’s machine tools and the State was even called the ‘machine tool capital of the country’, said H.D. Kumaraswamy, Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel.
Mr. Kumaraswamy was speaking at the opening of IMTEX 2025, an annual expo organised by Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA).
‘’The machine tool industry as part of the Capital Goods sector, contributes significantly to the economy of India, apart from generating employment. A strong machine tool industry is essential for a robust manufacturing sector as well,’‘ he said.
Speaking on the occasion, M.B. Patil, Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development, said Indian machine tool industry has grown significantly over the years, and the sector, including the metal cutting, has been the cornerstone of manufacturing.
The State accounted for 52% of India’s total machine tool production and ranks as the third-largest contributor to heavy engineering in the country and has players such as ABB, Siemens, BHEL, and Larsen & Toubro, Mr. Patil added.
Metal cutting is the process of shaping or removing material from a metal workpiece by using specialised cutting tools on a machine, like a lathe or milling machine, to achieve the desired form and dimensions, typically involving a rotating cutting tool that shears off material from the workpiece as it moves across the surface.
According to Prashanth Doreswamy, president & CEO, Continental Automotive (India), the machine tool industry was a key contributor to several industries including the auto sector. ‘‘Around 55% of the machine tools production in India is consumed by the auto industry,’‘ he pointed out.
Rajendra S. Rajamane, president, IMTMA, highlighted that India ranked 9th in machine tool production and 6th in consumption globally. As per Gardner Intelligence’s World Machine Tool Survey 2023, the Indian machine tool industry production is estimated to have grown by approximately 10% year-on-year, reaching a value of ₹13,571 crore.
The week-long IMTEX 2025, that brought together 1,100 exhibitors from 23 countries, hundreds of machine tools consuming companies, industry leaders, policymakers and innovators from around the world at Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC), Bengaluru, will conclude on January 29.
Published – January 24, 2025 11:24 pm IST
