The global die and mould industry, one of manufacturing’s most decisive yet least visible sectors, is entering a period of steady expansion as industrial economies race to modernise production systems. Valued at USD 15.7 billion in 2024, the die and mould market is projected to exceed USD 21 billion by 2030, advancing at a CAGR of 5.2%. Demand is being propelled by lightweight automotive components, electronics miniaturisation, medical devices, packaging innovation and the growing use of digital machining, additive manufacturing and automation. Across Asia-Pacific, where China, Japan, South Korea and India remain central manufacturing powers, tooling capacity is increasingly becoming a strategic marker of industrial depth.

India’s industrial ambitions found a major platform on 21 April 2026 as the 14th Die & Mould India International Exhibition opened at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai. Organised by TAGMA India, the four-day event remains the country’s leading gathering for the die, mould and tooling sector, bringing together manufacturers, OEMs, technology suppliers, exporters, engineers and policy makers.

The inauguration ceremony brought together senior industry and government leadership including Mr. Manoj Kolhatkar, Managing Director and CEO, Tata AutoComp Systems Limited, Mr. F. R. Singhvi, Joint Managing Director, Sansera Engineering Limited and President, Aerospace India Association, Mr. Vinamra Mishra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Government of India, and Mr. Hector U. Villanueva Jr., Chairman, Federation of Asian Die and Mould Associations. The dignitaries were welcomed by Shri D. M. Shergar, President, TAGMA India, and Shri D. Shanmuga Sundaram, Vice President, TAGMA India.

Opening the exhibition, Shri D. M. Shergar said the 2026 edition is the largest in its history, featuring over 400 exhibitors across three halls with an expected footfall of over 35,000 visitors. He said the sector has seen stronger order books, better capacity utilisation and rising investment in advanced technologies and machining systems, while demand is expanding beyond automotive into defence, aerospace, electronics, medical devices, packaging and consumer products.

He also acknowledged the strain created by geopolitical uncertainty, material availability concerns and rising costs, yet maintained that the sector remains optimistic. Calling the exhibition a meeting ground for the full industrial chain, he said it is where capabilities are displayed, ideas are exchanged and future partnerships are built. In an internal industry appeal, he noted that over 25% of exhibitors this year are toolmakers and urged the sector to target 50% participation by the next edition.

One of the strongest speeches of the opening session came from Mr. F. R. Singhvi of Sansera Engineering, who moved the discussion beyond machinery and into industrial culture, workforce economics and competitiveness. Drawing on decades of manufacturing experience, he argued that the dividing line between companies that advance and those that stagnate is often leadership quality and treatment of people.

“The difference is the people who run the industry,” he said.

Singhvi challenged manufacturers to reconsider labour as a productive asset rather than a narrow cost item. He pointed out that blue-collar wage cost in many operations remains a relatively modest share of total manufacturing cost, while better compensation, training and retention can generate larger gains through efficiency, quality and continuity.

“You do not give him the extra three thousand or five thousand rupees. You do not give him a roadmap. Then you lose the best people.”

He also accentuated the contradiction of India’s labour market, where millions seek employment while industries still complain of manpower shortages.

“On one side you have a huge population of young people struggling to get a job. On the other side we are unable to complete customer orders because we do not have the right people.”

Turning to operational discipline, Singhvi reminded the audience that tooling tolerances allow little room for complacency.

“In die and moulding, two microns make a difference.”

He warned that delays, weak process discipline, delivery inconsistency and communication gaps continue to hurt India’s standing with global buyers. His concluding message drew sustained applause.

“If India wants to lead in manufacturing, we must lead in tooling, because those who shape and mould ultimately shape the future.”

Representing the Government of India, Joint Secretary Mr. Vinamra Mishra placed the sector within the wider MSME economy. He said MSMEs contribute around 45% of exports, 37% of manufacturing GVA and support nearly 35 crore employment opportunities through an ecosystem of about 8.1 crore enterprises. Within that framework, he described tooling as a core industrial multiplier.

“The die and tooling manufacturing industry is the precision gear which drives the entire ecosystem.”

Mishra said the government is expanding credit access, technology support and skilling pathways for manufacturers. He cited the Credit Guarantee Scheme, whose corpus has risen to ₹9,000 crore, with guarantee cover raised to 85% and 90% for women-led and select enterprises. Yet he also stressed that industry itself must participate directly in developing job-ready manpower.

“We have human capital, but we are far off the mark on industry-grade skilling.”

Ending on a strategic note, he said India must progress “from Make in India to Innovate in India, and from Tooling in India to Leading from India.”

The international dimension of the exhibition was highlighted by Mr. Hector U. Villanueva Jr., Chairman of the Federation of Asian Die and Mould Associations, who acknowledged participation and support from member nations including Hong Kong, Korea, Malaysia, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, China, Taiwan and India. He described Die & Mould India as a premier platform for collaboration across borders and said manufacturing is now entering a transformative phase powered by smart systems, CNC advancement, additive manufacturing and integrated automation.

“These innovations are enhancing productivity and enabling sustainable and efficient production systems,” he said, adding that exhibitions of this scale are increasingly vital for technology exchange and industrial partnerships.

Chief Guest Mr. Manoj Kolhatkar of Tata AutoComp Systems linked the exhibition directly to India’s manufacturing trajectory. He said the Indian economy remains one of the brightest performers globally and the automotive sector had posted a record year in FY25-26. According to figures he shared, India recorded production or sales of nearly 5.5 million passenger cars, 27 million two-wheelers, 1 million commercial vehicles, 1 million tractors and 1 million three-wheelers. He added that the Indian auto component industry has reached around USD 90 billion, with exports now slightly ahead of imports.

For the tooling sector, however, he said the opportunity remains far larger because import dependence continues.

“We still import about 35%. There is still a large scope for localisation.”

Kolhatkar underlined the scale of future demand by noting that tooling investment for an all-new passenger vehicle model in India can approach ₹4,000 crore. Each new vehicle platform therefore creates substantial downstream demand for dies, moulds, fixtures and gauges. He also shared Tata AutoComp’s own progress, saying that out of nearly 400 moulds procured last year, only four or five were imported.

He said customers are now asking for “deep localisation,” meaning localisation across tier one, tier two, tier three suppliers as well as the tooling chain itself. On manpower, he echoed earlier speakers by saying the issue today is often retention rather than simple availability.

“Unless you make them feel a part of the whole picture, employees will not stay.”

Kolhatkar also urged the industry to adopt digital engineering, CAE systems, AI-led design support and faster development methods that can sharply reduce product development cycles. Quoting a past industry insight, he added, “Yes, Make in India, but make quality in India.”

In the closing address, TAGMA Vice President Shri D. Shanmuga Sundaram placed the industry’s prospects against India’s wider economic rise. He noted that India’s GDP has moved from around USD 2 trillion in 2015-16 to nearing USD 4 trillion in 2025-26, while sectors such as automotive, electronics, defence, packaging and consumer demand have expanded rapidly. For toolmakers, he said, the message is immediate.

“Tooling demand in the next 10 years will grow faster than ever before.” But he warned that opportunity alone is insufficient. “We must be ready with scale, skill, speed and consistency.”

He added that future buyers will judge ecosystems rather than isolated suppliers.“They will ask who is the most dependable tooling ecosystem.”

Mr. Sundaram also disclosed that TAGMA is working with government stakeholders on a scheme aimed at enabling domestic manufacture of 45 to 50 machines per month, a move that could deepen India’s machine-building capability and reduce import exposure.

As the exhibition opened its halls to visitors, the broader significance of the event was difficult to miss. Every automobile panel, consumer appliance shell, defence component, electronics housing and medical device begins with a die, mould or tool. These products seldom attract public attention, yet they determine manufacturing speed, repeatability, quality and cost.

India now stands at a pivotal stage where its ambitions in mobility, defence production, electronics, aerospace and export manufacturing will increasingly depend on how quickly its tooling sector scales capability, technology and manpower depth. If the momentum seen in Mumbai translates into investment, skilling and industrial discipline, India’s die and mould industry could move well beyond domestic substitution and emerge as a globally trusted source for high-value tooling in the decade ahead.