India's supply chains move from scale to strategy

As global trade patterns grow more volatile and automotive supply chains face sustained pressure from tariffs, geopolitics and technology shifts, discussions at the Auto SCM Summit 2025 reflected a clear recalibration in how India's role is being defined.

- Nikitha Sebastian

India’s automotive industry is undergoing a structural shift as it moves beyond its traditional role as a low-cost manufacturing base and positions itself as a strategic node in global supply chains.

Rising export volumes, tighter integration with international production networks, and increasing reliance on time-sensitive logistics are reshaping how the country fits into the global automotive ecosystem.

These themes formed the backdrop of discussions at the ninth edition of the Auto SCM Summit, held in Chennai on December 8, 2025, where OEMs, logistics providers and policymakers examined how supply chains are adapting to this transition and what it means for India’s role in global manufacturing.

The shift was reflected in the opening address by Joachim von Winning, Director of Cargo Partnerships at Frankfurt Airport, who pointed to the scale and ambition of India’s automotive growth. “India’s auto component exports hit 20 billion last year, and if you look at the ambitions India has, reaching around 100 billion by 2030, this industry obviously drives the development of India daily,” he said, underlining how the sector is becoming central to India's evolving position in global automotive supply chains.

Von Winning linked this growth directly to logistics readiness and connectivity. “India and Germany are not just exchanging goods,” he said. “We are exchanging trust and technology.”

He pointed to Frankfurt Airport's role in supporting automotive trade flows through specialised handling for electric vehicle batteries and high-value components, adding that sustainability is now a core operational priority. “Sustainability is not a buzzword,” he said. “It is a responsibility.”