New Delhi: The Department of Commerce and EEPC India, the country’s apex engineering exports promotion body, held multiple brainstorming sessions during the Chintan Shivir for the Engineering Sector to chart a strategy for achieving total engineering exports of US$250 billion by 2030.
The sessions focused on deepening market access through better utilisation of free trade agreements, enhancing the global competitiveness of the sector and securing the long-term availability of key raw materials.
The discussions brought together top policymakers, industry leaders, sector experts and other concerned stakeholders.
Engineering Exports Face Raw Material, Supply Chain Challenges
The discussions highlighted concerns regarding the availability of quality raw materials at competitive prices and the need for a resilient and competitive supply chain to support the long-term growth of engineering exports.
Stakeholders noted that volatility in input costs, supply-chain disruptions, global overcapacity and trade-protective measures could affect the competitiveness of Indian engineering exports.
The Chintan Shivir also focused on strengthening the engineering sector’s ability to respond to emerging challenges while improving its position in global markets.
Export Resilience
In his keynote address, Secretary, Department of Commerce, Rajesh Agrawal, highlighted the resilience of India’s exports amid global uncertainties.
India’s total exports of merchandise and services grew by 14% year-on-year to US$476.20 billion during April–September 2026–27. He also highlighted the potential to increase India’s share in global merchandise exports from approximately 2% to 15–20%, stressing the need to leverage the country’s competitive advantages.
During the first six months of FY 2026–27, engineering exports crossed US$70 billion, registering nearly 20% growth over the corresponding period of the previous year.
Addressing emerging challenges, including Quality Control Orders (QCOs), sustainability-related trade measures and climate-linked requirements affecting market access, Agrawal emphasised the need for ambitious export targets to drive growth and strengthen global competitiveness.
He further stressed industry-wide collaboration to address common challenges and identify practical solutions, while encouraging stakeholders to adopt relevant global best practices to strengthen India’s manufacturing ecosystem and enhance engineering export potential.
Commerce Department Calls for US$300 Billion Engineering Export Ambition
Addressing the gathering, Joint Secretary, Department of Commerce, Vimal Anand, underscored the promising export performance of the engineering sector and called upon EEPC India to revisit its ambition of achieving US$300 billion in engineering exports by 2030.
He observed that, with sustained efforts and continued industry–government collaboration, engineering exports could potentially reach US$300 billion by 2030.
Shri Anand also emphasised the need for EEPC India to prepare a comprehensive white paper on QCOs applicable to the engineering sector. The proposed study would examine the sectors and products covered, the rationale for their introduction and their impact on industry.
Such a study would facilitate a more nuanced, evidence-based understanding of the implications of QCOs for the engineering sector.
Further, he called upon EEPC India to actively seek feedback from members across all its engineering panels to ensure that the challenges and concerns of different segments of the sector are comprehensively captured and adequately represented in policy deliberations.
EEPC India Chairman Pankaj Chadha on Engineering Exports
Chairman, EEPC India, Pankaj Chadha, expressed confidence that India’s engineering sector would continue to scale new heights through closer industry–government collaboration.
“We are very much on track to surpass export numbers of the previous financial year. Our medium- and long-term growth outlook remains positive. Engineering exports are expected to cross US$140 billion this current financial year,” he said.
The Chintan Shivir therefore focused on strengthening the competitiveness of India’s engineering sector, expanding market access and addressing supply-chain and regulatory challenges as the industry works towards higher engineering exports by 2030.
