📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Ministry of Railways
Technology
India to Build Own Tunnel Boring Machines After China Blocks Exports
✍️ The Economic Times
🗓 23 Oct 2026, 11:36 PM
👁 18
China has banned the export of tunnel boring machines (TBMs), prompting India to accelerate its domestic production plans. Commerce Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw shared a press release outlining the initiative.
China’s recent decision to prohibit the export of tunnel boring machines has raised concerns among infrastructure planners worldwide. In response, the Indian government has announced a new program to develop and manufacture TBMs domestically.
The initiative aims to reduce dependency on foreign technology and accelerate the construction of large‑scale tunnel projects across the country. According to the press release, the Ministry of Commerce will collaborate with leading Indian engineering firms and research institutions to design machines that meet international standards.
Commerce Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that the move will create high‑skill jobs and boost the domestic manufacturing ecosystem. He also noted that the project aligns with India’s broader goal of achieving self‑reliance in critical infrastructure components.
The government plans to set up a dedicated TBM manufacturing hub within the next two years, with the first prototype expected to be tested in a pilot tunnel project by 2025. The initiative is expected to position India as a competitive player in the global TBM market.
Industry analysts predict that the domestic production of TBMs could open up new export opportunities for Indian firms, especially in emerging economies where tunnel construction is on the rise.
The initiative aims to reduce dependency on foreign technology and accelerate the construction of large‑scale tunnel projects across the country. According to the press release, the Ministry of Commerce will collaborate with leading Indian engineering firms and research institutions to design machines that meet international standards.
Commerce Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted that the move will create high‑skill jobs and boost the domestic manufacturing ecosystem. He also noted that the project aligns with India’s broader goal of achieving self‑reliance in critical infrastructure components.
The government plans to set up a dedicated TBM manufacturing hub within the next two years, with the first prototype expected to be tested in a pilot tunnel project by 2025. The initiative is expected to position India as a competitive player in the global TBM market.
Industry analysts predict that the domestic production of TBMs could open up new export opportunities for Indian firms, especially in emerging economies where tunnel construction is on the rise.