Introduction
The Indian auto-components industry has experienced healthy growth over the last few years. Some of the factors attributable to this include: a buoyant end-user market, improved consumer sentiment and return of adequate liquidity in the financial system.
The auto-components industry accounts for almost seven per cent of India’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs as many as 19 million people, both directly and indirectly. A stable government framework, increased purchasing power, large domestic market, and an everincreasing development in infrastructure have made India a favourable destination for investment.
Market Size
The Indian auto-components industry can be broadly classified into the organised and unorganised sectors. The organised sector caters to the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and consists of high-value precision instruments while the unorganised sector comprises low-valued products and caters mostly to the aftermarket category.
Over the last decade, the automotive components industry has scaled three times to US$ 40 billion in 2015 while exports have grown even faster to US$ 11 billion. This has been driven by strong growth in the domestic market and increasing globalisation (including exports) of several Indian suppliers.
According to the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), the Indian auto-components industry is expected to register a turnover of US$ 100 billion by 2020 backed by strong exports ranging between US$ 80- US$ 100 billion by 2026, from the current US$ 11.2 billion.
FDI Policy
100% Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is allowed under the automatic route in the auto components sector, subject to all the applicable regulations and laws.
Government Initiatives
The Government of India’s Automotive Mission Plan (AMP) 2006–2016 has come a long way in ensuring growth for the sector. It is expected that this sector’s contribution to the GDP will reach US$ 145 billion in 2016 due to the government’s special focus on exports of small cars, multi-utility vehicles (MUVs), two and three-wheelers and auto components. Separately, the deregulation of FDI in this sector has also helped foreign companies to make large investments in India.
Road Ahead
The rapidly globalising world is opening up newer avenues for the transportation industry, especially while it makes a shift towards electric, electronic and hybrid cars, which are deemed more efficient, safe and reliable modes of transportation. Over the next decade, this will lead to newer verticals and opportunities for auto-component manufacturers, who would need to adapt to the change via systematic research and development.
The Indian auto-components industry is set to become the third largest in the world by 2025. Indian auto-component makers are well positioned to benefit from the globalisation of the sector as exports potential could be increased by up to four times to US$ 40 billion by 2020.