NEW DELHI: Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has called on India's automobile component manufacturers to move beyond domestic operations and establish a stronger presence in global markets. Addressing the 66th Annual Session of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) in New Delhi, Goyal urged companies to transform local businesses into global enterprises, expand manufacturing footprints overseas and strengthen their integration with international supply chains.

Goyal said India's auto component industry has a significant opportunity to benefit from the country's growing manufacturing capabilities, expanding trade partnerships and strategic position in global supply chains. He encouraged manufacturers to increase exports while also undertaking greater international investment and establishing manufacturing operations in developed markets.

According to Goyal, India's auto-component industry's international trade is currently close to $50 billion, with imports and exports almost evenly balanced. He stressed that the industry needs to move beyond an export-oriented approach and develop a sustained global manufacturing and investment presence.

The minister also emphasised the need for Indian companies to move up the automotive value chain, develop advanced capabilities and strengthen supply-chain resilience. Greater localisation of critical technologies and components could help reduce vulnerabilities arising from geopolitical disruptions, tariff changes and dependence on overseas suppliers.

Goyal highlighted the opportunities created by India's expanding network of trade agreements. He said recent trade deals have opened access to markets representing around $60 trillion in combined GDP, providing Indian manufacturers with a larger platform to expand their international business.

The call comes at a time when global automobile supply chains are undergoing major changes, with manufacturers seeking to diversify sourcing and reduce dependence on concentrated production bases. Indian auto-component companies are therefore being encouraged to combine cost competitiveness with technology, innovation, quality and global manufacturing capabilities.

US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also highlighted the growing importance of India-US cooperation in automotive supply chains at the ACMA event. He said the partnership was increasingly moving beyond component trade towards technology, investment and co-development, while encouraging greater investment by Indian companies in the United States.

Industry leaders have simultaneously stressed the importance of reducing India's dependence on imported high-value technologies. Areas such as semiconductors, battery cells and power electronics are emerging as critical priorities for deeper localisation and stronger domestic capabilities.

Goyal's message underlines the government's broader objective of positioning India as a globally competitive manufacturing hub. For the auto-component sector, the next phase of growth is expected to focus not only on increasing exports but also on developing intellectual property, advanced technologies, overseas manufacturing capabilities and resilient global supply chains.