The ACMA Mobility Foundation (AMF), an initiative of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, Germany, to advance cutting-edge Research and Development (R&D) collaboration for India’s auto component industry.

The MoU was signed in the backdrop of the 18th Asia-Pacific Conference of German Business (APK 2024) in New Delhi. The strategic partnership aims to provide a robust platform for industry-driven research and innovation, to the Indian auto component industry as it transforms to support the mobility industry in addressing challenges of carbon neutrality, circularity, safety and environment. Through this collaboration, AMF and Fraunhofer will leverage their expertise to drive advancements in technology, sustainability, and product innovation, thereby contributing to the growth and competitiveness of the Indian automotive ecosystem. The MoU will be effective for an initial period of three years, with potential extensions based on mutual agreement.

The partnership will focus on the following –

R&D Collaboration: Fraunhofer Institutes will work with AMF on applied research, focusing on new product development, process innovations, and competitive R&D for the Indian auto components sector.

Technical Expertise: Fraunhofer's technical experts will engage with Indian automotive companies to improve process technologies and introduce sustainable production methods.

Sustainability and Road Safety: Joint projects aimed at sustainable production and road safety will be explored, with a focus on circular economy principles and pre-competitive technologies that can be implemented across the automotive sector.

Vikrampati Singhania, Director, AMF & MD, JK Fenner (India) said, “This is a significant milestone for the Indian auto component industry. Collaborating with Fraunhofer, a world leader in applied research, will strengthen our efforts to drive innovation, enhance product quality, and accelerate the transition to sustainable mobility solutions. This partnership underscores our commitment to shaping a future-ready automotive industry in India.”

Vinnie Mehta, Director & Secretary, AMF added “This partnership will enable Indian companies to tap into Fraunhofer’s vast expertise and experience in applied research, helping them meet global standards while fostering innovation at a competitive cost.”

Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, with its 76 research institutes and a significant global presence, brings over 3.4 billion euros (INR 298 billion) in annual research funding. The Fraunhofer Traffic and Transportation Alliance, with its cluster of 18 institutes, will be at the forefront of this collaboration, providing specialised research and development services to the automotive ecosystem in India.

Dr Johann Feckl, Director and Section Head Precompetitive Research and International Relations, Fraunhofer HQ, highlighting the strengths and capabilities of the Fraunhofer Institutes elaborated, “India and Germany are strong and natural partners in mobility. Fraunhofer possesses excellent strengths in applied research around the entire value chain of mobility from materials to manufacturing and even mobility concepts and India’s strengths are in manufacturing and qualified manpower. We are delighted that on the occasion of the Intergovernmental consultations, we are concluding this very important partnership with ACMA. We look forward to strengthening our long standing partnership.”

Anandi Iyer, Director, Fraunhofer Office India said, “Fraunhofer works closely with the industry to crunch the innovation cycle and bring new processes and products faster to the market. We are already working very strongly with the Indian automotive industry since the last 16 years with ACMA as a valued partner. It will be exciting to bring the German and Indian industry to work on India- specific challenges, create proof of concepts and then scale it at a much faster pace, thus combining German engineering and Indian ingenuity for a win-win alliance,”

This partnership is set to enhance technology and trade relations between India and Germany, while creating a sustainable talent pool of skilled researchers and technical experts well-versed in global best practices.

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Tier 1 component supplier Sona BLW Precision Forgings (Sona Comstar) has announced its financial results for Q1 FY2027, reporting revenue of INR 13.10 billion, representing a 54 percent YoY growth. EBITDA reached INR 3.03 billion with a margin of 23.1 percent, while profit after tax stood at INR 1.81 billion.

Interestingly, battery electric vehicle revenue reached an all-time high of 44 percent of total revenue, growing by 107 percent YoY.

During the quarter, the company unveiled its Sona Comstar 2.0 strategy and announced its entry into the robotics and physical AI sector, alongside expansion into high-voltage electric and hybrid powertrain systems through a partnership with DENSO Corporation.

Vivek Vikram Singh, MD & Group CEO, commented: “Q1 FY27 marks the unveiling of Sona Comstar 2.0 – our ambition to grow tenfold again over the next decade. As part of this strategy, we announced our entry into Robotics and Physical AI. Our partnership with DENSO also takes us into high-voltage electric and hybrid powertrain systems, completing an important missing piece in our electrification portfolio. The quarter was equally strong financially. We delivered our highest-ever quarterly revenue, BEV revenue and BEV revenue share. Revenue grew by 54 percent YoY, while EBITDA and PAT increased by 49 percent and 45 percent, respectively. BEV revenue more than doubled, and its share of automotive revenue reached an all-time high of 44 percent, despite continued weakness in the US EV market. This demonstrates the increasing diversification of our EV business across customers, products and geographies. We also secured new business across EV, hybrid and ICE powertrains, spanning India, Europe and North America and nearly every product category in which we operate.”

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Schaeffler India has reported its financial results for Q2 and H1 ended CY2026. Revenue from operations for the quarter was INR 26.81 billion, marking a 17.5 percent increase compared to the corresponding period of 2025, while net profit reached INR 3.36 billion.

For H1 CY2026, revenue from operations was INR 51.88 billion, up 18.1 percent YoY, with a net profit of INR 6.56 billion led by growth in the Automotive Technologies, Vehicle Lifetime Solutions and Intercompany Exports segments.

Harsha Kadam, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Schaeffler India, said, “Schaeffler India registered a strong growth of 18.1 percent for the first half of the year. Our Automotive Technologies, Vehicle Lifetime Solutions and Intercompany Exports business continued the double-digit growth trajectory. Even for the quarter, despite a challenging market we recorded a 7 percent QoQ growth. Quality of earnings marginally impacted given cost pressures due to geopolitical developments. Overall, I am happy to share that we delivered on our financial performance consistently, amid volatility in a very dynamic macro-economic landscape. We remain committed on maintaining the momentum for the remainder of the year.”

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The Indian automotive component industry has delivered another strong performance in FY2026, reinforcing its position as a critical pillar of the country’s auto ecosystem and a growing player in global value chains.

According to the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), the sector recorded sales of USD 85.9 billion (INR 7,600 billion), marking a healthy 12.7 percent YoY growth. Supply to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) grew even faster at 16.3 percent, driven by commercial vehicles (13%), two-wheelers (12%) and passenger vehicles (10%). The aftermarket segment expanded by 9 percent, supported by a rising vehicle population and increasing market formalisation.

Exports grew modestly by 5 percent, while imports rose 13 percent, resulting in a trade deficit of USD 1,370 million. Supply to the electric vehicle (EV) segment accounted for 4.6 percent of OEM sales, highlighting the sector’s gradual but steady participation in the country’s electrification journey.

Early indicators for FY2027 are encouraging. Despite global headwinds, Q1 performance has been resilient, underpinned by robust domestic demand and aftermarket growth. “Overall mood in the industry has been very positive. Since the GST 2.0 revision, the auto industry has continued to grow both domestically and in exports, and the component industry has followed suit,” noted Vikrampati Singhani, President, ACMA.

Infrastructure development has further boosted vehicular movement across categories, while demand for both new and used vehicles remains healthy. Several Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) have begun yielding results, with more expected to materialise.

The industry body stated that Europe has emerged as a bright spot for exports, benefiting from favourable trade pacts, even as overall European sentiment remains somewhat subdued. Exports to the region have contributed to an overall industry export growth trajectory around 9 percent in recent assessments.

Export Resilience Amid Geopolitical Challenges

Indian component makers have demonstrated remarkable consistency. North American exports held steady at USD 7.3 billion despite tariff pressures. However, CIS and Baltic region saw a sharp around 40 percent decline, largely linked to minimal trade with Russia.

ACMA noted that in Latin America the automotive industry faces a Section 301 investigation citing unfair labour practices and alleged government subsidies leading to overcapacity – claims strongly refuted by the industry.

Vinnie Mehta, Director General, ACMA, noted that “The auto component industry does not get any subsidy from the government,” pointing out that under the PLI scheme, only 2 out of over 1,100 ACMA members have availed benefits.

He also highlighted ongoing capacity expansions as evidence against overcapacity claims. Top export destinations remain the USA, Germany and Thailand, while imports are dominated by China, Japan, and Germany, with Asian imports (primarily China) reaching USD 17.75 billion, up 19 percent.

The rupee’s 10 percent depreciation helped limit USD growth to 7.1 percent, providing some cushion. Positive developments include the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and normalisation of LNG routes, which are expected to further ease freight costs.

The split across vehicle segments has remained largely stable: Passenger Vehicles account for 45 percent of OEM sales, followed by Commercial Vehicles (25%) and Two-Wheelers (19%).

ACMA stated that localisation levels average around 70 percent industry-wide, though high-end vehicles and advanced technologies (such as certain drivetrains) lag. The push for deeper localisation, especially in electronics and EV supply chains, continues, with OEMs and component makers collaborating on the third round of related studies.

Leaders expressed optimism that sustained localisation efforts, combined with OEM capacity expansions, could help narrow the trade deficit in the coming years.

Mehta stated that challenges remain in areas like rare earth magnets, where licensing issues persist, and EV supply chains, which are still heavily influenced by China’s cost competitiveness.

Headwinds and Adaptive Strategies

Labour shortages have emerged as a significant, cross-industry issue expected to persist for the next 8-10 years. Factors include seasonal agricultural demands, festivals, elections and rising urban living costs, which have resulted in challenges for industries. Despite this, the automotive component industry has shown resilience – no major production disruptions have been attributed to component shortages.

Furthermore, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) face elongated CAPEX cycles, raw material price pressures and working capital challenges.

The industry is responding through increased focus on digitisation, robotics and automation.

“Opportunities are immense, with many traditional players diversifying into software, electronics and new-age technologies. Today, 7-8 percent of ACMA members are new-age firms and consumer electronics players have also joined the fold. India’s Global Capability Centers (GCCs) in automotive – over 200,000 total, with strong representation in components – are driving significant software and design work domestically,” said Mehta.

Capacity expansion & FTAs

It is no secret that the growing demand for newer vehicles has also led to automakers further expanding their manufacturing capacity, including both greenfield and brownfield projects.

For the automotive component industry, capacity utilisation currently hovers around 70 percent, aligned with peak industry needs.

“As OEMs expand – particularly in emerging hubs like Aurangabad, touted as the ‘next Sanand’ – component makers are expected to follow with corresponding investments,” revealed Mehta.

Furthermore, India’s emergence as a reliable alternative in global supply chains is gaining traction amid diversification away from concentrated sources. FTAs are viewed not merely as duty-reduction tools but as enablers of long-term partnerships.

“US RFQs increasingly seek certified Indian components, bypassing China and boosting Make-in-India appeal. We are hopeful about the EU FTA and potential US BTA, which could significantly elevate India’s share in global auto value chains,” said Singhania.

For the unversed, the automotive component industry in India directly employs around 5 million people, with the broader auto industry supporting nearly 30 million livelihoods. “India is emerging as a strong long-term partner,” stated Mehta.

With twin engines of direct exports and indirect contributions through global customers, the component industry is well-positioned for sustained growth.

FY2027 and Beyond: Cautious Optimism

Going forward, ACMA projects 8-10 percent value growth for FY2027 if current momentum holds, supported by strong Q1 performance and steady exports. While trade deficit reversal will take time – particularly with EV growth and imported advanced technologies – commitment to localisation from both OEMs and suppliers provides a clear pathway forward.

As Singhani summarised, “The short-to-medium-term outlook is positive, with momentum in infrastructure, alternative fuels and technology transitions. Global volatility remains a risk, but the industry’s resilience, adaptability and strategic focus on automation and partnerships signal a bright road ahead for Indian auto components.”

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Schaeffler India, a technology motion company, has received Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) licenses for its manufacturing plants in Maneja and Savli.

With this, the company becomes the first in the Indian bearing industry to secure BIS certification for Cylindrical Roller Bearings (CRB). Additionally, these locations have received BIS licenses for Deep Groove Ball Bearings (DGBB).

Harsha Kadam, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Schaeffler India, said, "This milestone reflects Schaeffler India's unwavering commitment to quality, operational excellence, and customer trust. Being the first company to secure the BIS license for Cylindrical Roller Bearings under the new standard is a proud achievement for our teams and demonstrates our readiness to meet evolving regulatory and industry requirements. We remain committed to setting benchmarks in manufacturing excellence and supporting the growth of India's industrial ecosystem”.

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