The exhibition’s inauguration ceremony was graced by Mr. Manoj Kolhatkar, MD and CEO, Tata AutoComp Systems Ltd., who was the event's Chief Guest. Mr. F. R. Singhvi, Joint Managing Director, Sansera Engineering Ltd. and President, Aerospace India Association; Mr. Vinamra Mishra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME, Government of India; and Mr. Hector U. Villanueva, Chairman, FADMA, were the Guests of Honour. Mr. Devaraya M. Sheregar, President, TAGMA India, and Mr. D. Shanmugasundaram, Vice President, TAGMA India, were also present alongside other dignitaries. The ceremonial lighting of the lamp by the esteemed guests marked the auspicious beginning of the exhibition.
Addressing the Audience
Extending a warm welcome to everyone present at the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Sheregar said, “This year’s Die & Mould India is our largest edition so far. We have over 350 exhibitors participating across three halls; we are expecting 35,000+ visitors over the next three days. Die & Mould India is not just an exhibition. It is a platform where the entire ecosystem comes together to showcase capabilities, exchange ideas, and build partnerships that will shape the future of our industry.”
Talking about the opportunities in the tooling industry, Mr. Sheregar added, “Over the past year, the industry has experienced a positive momentum. Many toolmakers have witnessed robust business growth, improved order books, and better capacity utilisation. At the same time, we are seeing increased investments in advanced technologies, automation, and modern machining capabilities. Many Indian toolmakers are now not only serving domestic customers but are also exporting to global markets. There is also a strong focus on skill development, which is very important for the future of our industry.”
Highlighting the importance of skill development, Mr. Singhvi said, “The government expects the industry to do well, and industry expects the government to support it. Over the last 40 years, many have perished, some have remained small, but many of us have grown in the same environment. The difference lies in the people who run the industry. In my 30-year journey, skill development has been the single most impactful focus. Salaries have risen from INR 18,000 to INR 35,000, but is that enough? Growth depends on people. Ten employees can take you so far; a hundred can take you ten times further; five hundred can take you a hundred times further. Retaining and nurturing employees is the real growth engine.”
Mr. Singhvi added, “We fail to give employees an extra INR 3,000–5,000 or a clear roadmap for their future. That’s how we lose our best people. Skill is the foundation. We face a paradox: millions of young people struggle for jobs, while industries struggle to fulfil orders due to a lack of skilled manpower. Train them, retain them, and in 2–3 years, they will become experts who drive your business forward.”
“The government will support MSMEs, but don’t wait for them to start. If India wants to lead in manufacturing, we must first lead in tooling. That is the foundation of modern industry,” Mr. Singhvi concluded.
Speaking about the contributions of MSMEs, Mr. Mishra noted, “MSMEs have made immense contributions to the country’s economic growth, whether it is exports, where we contribute 45%, or manufacturing GVO, where our share is 37%. The MSME ecosystem today employs close to 8.1 crore people. Clearly, these are the growth drivers. But within this, the tooling industry is the precision gear that drives the entire ecosystem.”
Mr. Mishra added, “The government has set its goal on supporting the manufacturing ecosystem. We need to ideate together and let the government know what works. For example, in the innovation sector, India rose from around 80–90th in the Global Innovation Index to the early 30s within a decade. This was possible because of investments in R&D and supportive frameworks. Similarly, manufacturing can be strengthened with the right steps.” Focussing on the importance of innovation, Mr. Villanueva said, “Die & Mould India has established itself as a premium platform for motivation, innovation, and excellence in the tooling and die industry… We are witnessing a transformative moment in manufacturing. Smart manufacturing, CNC technologies, additive manufacturing, and integrated automation are redefining how industry operates. These innovations are enhancing productivity and precision while enabling more sustainable and efficient production systems. I commend TAGMA India for its unwavering commitment to advancing the tooling industry by bringing together stakeholders from automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, and packaging.”
The opportunities for the tooling industry are expanding. Highlighting the opportunities in the auto industry, Mr. Kolhatkar said, “The Indian economy today is among the brightest in the world, and the auto industry has had its best year ever. In 2025–26, India recorded production of 5.5 million passenger cars, nearly 27 million two-wheelers, and over a million each of commercial vehicles, tractors, and three-wheelers. Auto components, as an industry, crossed $90 billion, and for the first time, exports slightly exceeded imports— showing how far we have matured. Yet, in the tool and die fraternity, we still import about 35%. Every new car model requires tooling investments of around INR 4,000 crore in India, and billions overseas. While frugal engineering helps us keep costs lower, the scope for growth in tooling remains immense.”
Mr. Shanmugasundaram then concluded the ceremony with a Vote of Thanks. He said, “As we inaugurate Die & Mould India 2026, I would like to share a broader perspective on our industry— where we stand today and where we are headed. This is not just the inauguration of an exhibition; it is a reflection of where we have come from in the last 10 years, and where we are going in the next 10.”
He also extended a warm welcome to members of the Federation of Asian Die and Mould Associations (FADMA). “We are honoured to host around 20 delegates from Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. It is a matter of pride that the FADMA Annual General Meeting is being hosted in India this year, immediately following this exhibition. Your presence strengthens global collaboration, and we truly value this association. I would like to offer a special thanks to all exhibitors, partners, sponsors, and the TAGMA team for creating this outstanding platform,” he said.
DMI: Powering India’s Tooling Future
TAGMA India introduced the Die & Mould India Exhibition series in 1998 to encourage and strengthen the die and mould fraternity. Over the years, the exhibition has grown into India’s largest platform for the tooling industry. It covers a wide spectrum of products and services, including dies and moulds, press tools, mould bases, hot runner systems, tool steel, heat treatment, gauges, CAD/CAM solutions, additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, CNC machining centers, EDM, moulding and die-casting machines, polishing equipment, cutting tools, measuring systems, and related accessories. The exhibition provides participants with opportunities to explore new business potential, gain insights into industry challenges, witness live demonstrations, and stay updated with global innovations. The show also serves as a meeting ground for the tooling fraternity.
The 2024 edition of Die & Mould India International Exhibition was a major success. The event featured 300+ exhibitors from 15+ countries and drew more than 38000 visitors across 15 sectors. Its highlights included 35+ product launches, strong participation in the B2B Pavilion, an engaging Korea Pavilion, and delegations from more than 25 companies. The scale and response reaffirmed the exhibition’s importance as a global hub for tooling excellence and its role in shaping the future of India’s die and mould industry.
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