Bharat Forge Navigates Global Headwinds, Defence Orders Provide Strong Tailwind in FY2025

Bharat Forge

Bharat Forge, one of India’s leading automotive component suppliers, has demonstrated resilience in its standalone financial performance for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2025, navigating global headwinds while capitalising on robust growth in its defence sector business.  The company showcased a steady performance despite challenges in certain international markets.

For Q4 FY2025, Bharat Forge recorded standalone revenues of INR 21 billion, with an EBITDA of INR 6 billion, translating to a healthy EBITDA margin of 29.1 percent. The company also reported a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of INR 4.9 billion.

For FY2025, Bharat Forge reported standalone revenues of INR 88 billion, a marginal dip of 1.4 percent compared to the INR 89 billion recorded in FY2024. Despite this slight decrease in revenue, the company managed to improve its profitability, with EBITDA at INR 25 billion (EBITDA margin of 28.5 percent) and PBT at INR 19 billion, both showing a marginal improvement compared to the previous fiscal year. The company also highlighted a strong balance sheet with cash on books of INR 26 billion.

The company stated that FY25 Revenues remained flat despite weakness in European CVs, mixed performance in export PV business. Oil & Gas recouped from the lows of FY24 while Defence displayed steady growth.

At a consolidated level, Bharat Forge reported revenues of INR 15.1 billion in FY2025, remaining relatively flat compared to the INR 15.6 billion in FY24. However, the company saw a significant improvement in consolidated EBITDA margins, rising from 16.4 percent to 18.2 percent.

A significant highlight of the year was the strong order inflow, particularly in the defence sector. During Q4 FY25, the company secured new orders worth INR 43 billion, including a substantial INR 34 billion towards the ATAGS order. As of March 2025, the defence order book stood at a robust INR 94 billion. For the entire fiscal year, the Bharat Forge group secured new orders worth INR 69 billion, with the defence sector accounting for an impressive 70 percent of these new wins.

The company also highlighted the strong performance of its ferrous castings business, which witnessed significant growth with revenues increasing by 23 percent, EBITDA by 35 percent, and a doubling of profits compared to FY2024. Key return ratios for this segment exceeded 20 percent.

Looking ahead to FY2026, Bharat Forge outlined its strategic focus on improving consolidated profitability through several internal actions. These include reducing losses in the e-mobility vertical, evaluating options for the steel business in Europe, improving operational performance in the aluminium business, leveraging North American manufacturing footprint and focusing on new business wins across traditional forgings, defence, aerospace and castings. The company also anticipates the integration of the AAM India business in FY2026, which is expected to further enhance its product portfolio and presence in the Indian market.

LTTS Inducted In John Deere Supplier Hall Of Fame

LTTS - John Deere

Bengaluru-headquartered engineering R&D company L&T Technology Services has been inducted in John Deere's Supplier Hall of Fame for achieving Partner-level Supplier Status for five consecutive years in the John Deere Achieving Excellence (AE) Program.

The company has consistently met John Deere’s benchmarks for quality, delivery and innovation, earning the Partner-level status for FY2020 through FY2024. In FY2021, the company was also named Supplier of the Year. The recognition highlights LTTS’ ongoing contribution across engineering and digital services for John Deere operations in North America and India. These services include digital solutions, product simulation, embedded software, mechanical design, cost management, advanced analysis and customer support.

Alind Saxena, Executive Director & President, Mobility & Tech, L&T Technology Services, said, “The induction into the John Deere Supplier Hall of Fame is a testament to our pursuit of excellence and innovation in the Mobility segment. Achieving Partner-level Supplier Status for five consecutive years reflects the depth of our engineering expertise and the trust John Deere places in LTTS. We remain dedicated to delivering cutting-edge solutions that not only meet but consistently exceed the expectations of our partners worldwide.”

AIFI And BEE Join Forces To Drive Energy Efficiency In India's Forging Sector

AIFI And BEE Join Forces To Drive Energy Efficiency In India's Forging Sector

The Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI) has entered a strategic partnership with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) under the Ministry of Power through a landmark MoU. Signed in the presence of Union Minister Manohar Lal, this collaboration aims to accelerate sustainable manufacturing practices in the forging industry under the Assistance for Deployment of Energy Efficient Technologies in Industrial Establishments (ADEETIE) scheme.

The ADEETIE initiative supports MSMEs in 14 energy-intensive sectors by facilitating access to cutting-edge energy-efficient technologies. With an INR 10 billion budgetary allocation, the scheme will catalyse over INR 90 billion in investments, including INR 67.50 billion in MSME financing. Eligible forging units can avail interest subventions of five percent (micro/small enterprises) and three percent (medium enterprises), along with technical assistance in energy audits and project implementation.

As a backbone of India’s automotive, defence and capital goods sectors, the forging industry faces significant energy challenges. This MoU positions AIFI as a bridge between MSMEs and government resources, enabling adoption of eco-friendly technologies. The alliance reinforces India’s commitment to sustainable industrial growth, helping manufacturers lower operational costs while aligning with national decarbonisation goals.

Yash Munot, President, AIFI, said, “This collaboration with the Bureau of Energy Efficiency marks a significant step forward for the Indian forging industry. As one of the most energy-intensive sectors, forging stands to benefit immensely from the structured support offered under the ADEETIE scheme. By enabling access to financial incentives and technical guidance, this initiative will empower MSMEs to adopt cutting-edge, energy-efficient technologies. It aligns perfectly with our vision of building a globally competitive, environmentally responsible and innovation-driven forging ecosystem. AIFI is committed to mobilising our members across clusters to take full advantage of this opportunity and contribute meaningfully to India’s broader sustainability and industrial growth goals."

Deven Doshi, Chairman – Government Interface, AIFI, said, “Energy efficiency is very essential for forging companies, but the MSME sector often faces structural barriers in adopting cleaner and more efficient technologies. The ADEETIE scheme provides a structured framework of support, including technical, operational and financial aspects, that directly addresses these challenges. AIFI is proud to be a partner in this transformative journey. This collaboration not only ensures sectoral compliance with energy norms but also paves the way for long-term industrial modernisation.”

Sona Comstar Enters Joint Venture with Jinnaite Machinery in China

Sona Comstar

Sona BLW Precision Forgings (Sona Comstar), a leading automotive component manufacturer, has signed a binding term sheet with China's Jinnaite Machinery (JNT) to form a new joint venture. The partnership aims to manufacture and supply driveline systems and components for automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) both within China and globally.

Under the agreement, Sona Comstar will invest USD 12 million, taking a 60 percent stake in the joint venture, while JNT will contribute USD 8 million in assets and business, holding the remaining 40 percent share. Operations are set to begin in the second half of the current financial year, marking a significant move in Sona Comstar’s strategy to expand its footprint in the burgeoning Chinese electric vehicle (EV) market.

The collaboration combines Sona Comstar’s expertise in driveline technology, including system design and precision forging, with JNT’s advanced casting and moulding capabilities. JNT boasts 63 patents and 36 proprietary technologies and plays a key role in shaping national standards for castings in China. Its established relationships with leading Chinese and global automotive OEMs are expected to bolster the joint venture’s prospects.

China continues to assert itself as the world’s largest automotive market, with EV sales reaching 11 million in 2024, representing two-thirds of global volume. Chinese OEMs accounted for 76 percent of global EV sales in the previous year, and their international market share has grown substantially, with exports rising from 1 million units in 2020 to over 6 million in 2024. Robust government policy, advancements in battery and software technology, and rapid expansion of supporting infrastructure have been primary drivers of this growth.

Sona Comstar, already the leading supplier of differential assemblies for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in North America and among the top in Europe, intends for the joint venture to help further its reach across key markets in Asia, including India, Japan and South Korea, as well as to strengthen its presence in North America and Europe.

Vivek Vikram Singh, Managing Director & Group CEO, Sona Comstar, said, "I am excited to partner with JNT to establish a driveline manufacturing plant in China. This joint venture marks a significant step in our strategy to expand into the rapidly growing Asian markets. As the largest electric vehicle market in the world and a leader in EV technologies, China offers tremendous opportunities for innovation and growth. By leveraging the strengths of both partners, this venture is well-positioned for strong growth and it has the potential to become a key supplier of driveline solutions for electric vehicles in the region. With a robust order book already in place, we expect operations to commence later this year."

Padmanabh Sinha

Pune-headquartered tier 1 supplier Varroc has appointed Padmanabh Sinha as an Independent Director on its Board of Directors, effective 18 July.

He brings over two decades of experience in the Indian investment ecosystem across private equity and technology entrepreneurship space. Sinha has held various positions in domestic and global investment institutions such as National Investment and Infrastructure Fund (NIIF), Temasek and Tata Opportunities Fund, among others, with deep expertise in capital allocation, investment stewardship and value creation across cycles.

Sinha holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science (Hons) from BITS Pilani, an MBA from IIM Calcutta, and has completed the Executive Development Program in Private Equity at Harvard Business School.

Tarang Jain, Chairman & Managing Director, Varroc, said, “We are delighted to welcome Padmanabh Sinha back to our Board. His broad-based experience and strategic perspective will be a valuable addition to Varroc as we accelerate our transformation and growth journey.”

Padmanabh Sinha said, “It is an honour to join the Board of Varroc. I look forward to contributing to Varroc’s journey of innovation, sustainable growth, and global competitiveness.”

At present, Sinha serves as the Managing Partner and Co-founder of LaunchBay Capital, a recently established growth-stage private equity platform focused on mid-market, India-headquartered businesses across the Consumer, Healthcare, Industrials, Financial Services and Technology sectors.