THE HIDDEN ENGINE OF MANUFACTURING GROWTH

From auto factories to smartphones, every product begins with a mould. As India pushes toward becoming a global manufacturing hub, its die and mould industry is quietly stepping into the spotlight.

- By Team ET Now Machinist

Every car panel, smartphone casing, medical device, or plastic container begins the same way, with a die or a mould. Yet, despite being the backbone of manufacturing, India's die and mould industry has long operated in the shadows. That is beginning to change.

As India positions itself as a global manufacturing hub, this “mother industry” is quietly moving to centre stage, driven by policy push, shifting global supply chains, and rising domestic demand.

A SECTOR GAINING SCALE AND ATTENTION

India's die and mould sector sits within a broader tooling ecosystem that is expanding steadily. According to the Tool and Gauge Manufacturers Association of India, the domestic tooling industry is currently valued at around Rs. 23,000–26,000 crore.

Growth projections suggest this is only the beginning. A report by Technavio estimates that the dies and moulds market in India will grow by $2.84 billion between 2024 and 2029, at a compound annual growth rate of 11.4%.

At a wider level, the tooling ecosystem itself is already sizeable. Estimates from IMARC Group place India's tooling market at about $20.1 billion in 2025.

These numbers reflect a deeper shift, that the first demand created in the maufacturing industry is not for the finished goods, but for the tools that make them.

WHAT'S DRIVING THE MOMENTUM

The sector's growth is closely tied to India's broader industrial ambitions.

One of the biggest drivers is localisation. As companies reduce import dependence and build supply chains within India, demand for domestic tooling has surged. Every new production line requires precision dies and moulds, creating a multiplier effect across industries.