BEML to develop tunnel-boring machines to reduce China reliance
The state-owned company plans to manufacture indigenous TBMs to support India's growing infrastructure and underground projects.
State-owned defence and engineering firm BEML Ltd. aims to manufacture tunnel-boring machines (TBMs) to replace foreign suppliers, according to reports by BusinessLine and Business Standard. The company intends to develop homegrown technology to support India's infrastructure boom and reduce dependence on imports, particularly from China.
BEML Chairman and Managing Director Shantanu Roy said the company will initially focus on smaller TBMs between 3.5 metres and 6.5 metres in diameter. These machines are typically used for water, irrigation, hydropower, and metro rail projects. The company plans to expand into larger equipment later.
Roy stated that BEML is onboarding a global consultant to assist in the effort to achieve self-reliance. He noted that the company aims to develop proprietary technology rather than just assembling imported kits, adding that the intellectual property will be Indian.
The move comes as India increases spending on transportation and underground infrastructure. Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari has indicated that the country intends to spend as much as $9.6 billion on tunneling projects over the next five years.
Roy estimated that the Indian TBM market could see an annual growth of about 12 per cent over the next seven to eight years. BEML expects it will take approximately 22 months to deliver its first machine once a contract is secured.
