Sectors / Process machinery
How process machinery manufacturers in India can grow
India buys far more machinery than it makes. Machine tools, packaging lines, plastics machinery and food-processing equipment are all imported in large volumes, even as domestic production grows.
For Indian makers, that gap is the opportunity. Below we set out the size of the market, where it is heading and the routes we use to help manufacturers take a larger share.
The market picture
Consumption is growing faster than production, and imports fill the difference.
What's driving demand
- Food processing. The PLISFPI incentive scheme has an outlay of ₹10,900 Cr for 2021-22 to 2026-27.5
- Trade remedies. DGTR issued final findings on 27 March 2025 in an anti-dumping investigation into certain plastic processing machines from China and Taiwan.7
- Manufacturing demand. Auto and auto components remain the largest machine-tool buyers, at about 50% of demand.1
Who buys
- Auto and component plants buying machine tools.
- Food, beverage and FMCG plants buying processing and packaging lines.
- Plastics converters buying moulding and extrusion machinery.
- General engineering job shops.
See the data
Machine tools. Production rose from ₹12,328 Cr1 in FY23 to ₹14,566 Cr in FY25 (provisional).1 Consumption rose faster, from ₹24,536 Cr1 to ₹31,781 Cr.1 In FY25, production grew 7%1 and consumption 17%, about US$1.7bn and US$3.7bn respectively.1
Rankings. India ranked 9th in the world for production and 4th for consumption in 2024.1 Karnataka produces around half of India's machine tools.2
Packaging machinery. The Indian market is estimated at US$4,758.4m in 2025 and projected to reach US$7,977.1m by 2033, a CAGR of 6.8% (2026–33).3 Food and beverages is the primary consumer of packaging machinery.4
Food-processing schemes. PLISFPI has approved 171 companies, with ₹8,910 Cr of investment across 213 locations.5 Under PMKSY, 1,608 projects had been sanctioned by 28 February 2025,5 and the scheme's outlay for the 15th Finance Commission cycle is ₹5,520 Cr.6
Trade remedies. DGTR initiated the plastic processing machines investigation on 29 March 2024.7
Imports. In FY25, machine-tool imports were ₹18,686 Cr1 against exports of ₹1,472 Cr.1 Imports rose 22%8, while exports fell 11% to US$173m.8 Across six machinery codes, India's 2024 imports were well above its exports.9
Win more orders from the buyers you already sell to
Your current buyers are expanding, and every installed machine brings repeat business.
What's driving demand
- Food processors are expanding under incentive schemes.
- Auto component plants are adding capacity, and converters are upgrading lines.
- Every machine you have installed needs tooling, spares and eventually replacement.
Where the opportunity is
- New customers in your core market. Get into the evaluations of buyers who are already active.
- Installed-base spares, replacements and sister plants. Reach your existing customers and their other plants.
What it takes
- Target lists, application content and outreach.
- Programmes built around your installed base.
Take your existing products to new export markets
Food and packaging machinery exports are growing fastest in Africa, the Gulf and South-East Asia.
What's driving demand
Where the opportunity is
- Regional and export expansion. Country plans for the fastest-growing markets.
- Adjacent industry expansion. A filling or mixing line built for food can often serve pharmaceuticals, chemicals or personal care.
- Approved vendor lists. Large FMCG and process groups qualify machinery suppliers formally.
What it takes
- Country plans, distributors and agents, and export-ready content.
- Finding the adjacent industries where your machines fit.
- The positioning, proposals and capability content their vendor reviews expect. Registration itself remains your team's process.
See the data
Food machinery (HS 8438). Exports rose to the UAE from US$2.8m to US$13.8m, to Indonesia from US$6.5m to US$12.9m, to Canada from US$2.6m to US$12.3m and to Saudi Arabia from US$1.7m to US$8.2m.9
Packaging machinery (HS 8422). Indonesia rose from US$6.3m to US$18.5m and Saudi Arabia from US$3.1m to US$11.2m.9
Launch new products for your current customers
The import gaps show where higher-specification Indian machines can win.
What's driving demand
- In 2024, India imported US$1,670.8m of plastics and rubber machinery, US$660.9m of it from China.9
- It imported US$858.7m of packaging machinery, mainly from Germany, Italy and China.9
- It also imported US$805.7m of metal-forming machines and US$436.8m of machining centres, the latter led by Japan at US$182.9m.9
Where the opportunity is
- Higher-spec and import-substitute ranges. Higher-specification machines that move buyers away from imports.
- Upstream and downstream machines, and modular lines. A machine in the middle of a line can lead to orders for the stations before and after it.
- Integrated skids and complete lines. Complete lines you already deliver for some customers.
- Packaged AMCs and retrofits. Service, upgrade and retrofit offers for your installed base.
What it takes
- A technical case and launch for each higher-spec machine.
- Selling modules to your existing customers.
- Marketing your line and service capability to buyers who want a single supplier.
Build a new line of business
For makers ready for a larger step, in-house capability can become a business of its own.
Where the opportunity is
- Component supplier to own-brand OEM. Move from building sub-assemblies for others to selling machines under your own brand.
- Commercialising a captive foundry, forge or tool room. Sell the capacity of an in-house tool room or foundry.
- New sectors and divisions. Start a separate machinery division for a new industry.
Book your Free Manufacturing Growth Diagnostic
We will review your machines, buyers and markets against this data. Then we will show you which routes to take first.
Sources
- IMTMA, Annual Report 2024-25 (citing the Gardner World Machine Tool Survey 2025 for rankings), 2025. www.imtma.in
- The Hindu, "Karnataka generated around 50% of India's machine tools", 24 January 2025. www.thehindu.com
- Grand View Research, India Packaging Machinery Market Outlook, June 2026. www.grandviewresearch.com
- Dun & Bradstreet, industry report on flexible packaging machinery (Mamata Machinery offer documents), December 2024. www.mamata.com
- Press Information Bureau, food processing note, 28 March 2025. pib.gov.in
- Press Information Bureau, PMKSY, 27 March 2025. pib.gov.in
- Directorate General of Trade Remedies, final findings on plastic processing machines, 27 March 2025. dgtr.gov.in
- Modern Manufacturing India, "Poised for expansion", 2025. www.mmindia.co.in
- UN Comtrade, India-reported trade, HS 2022 codes 8422, 8438, 8457, 8458, 8462 and 8477, CY2022–2024, US$, accessed 21 October 2026. comtradeplus.un.org