Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari has called upon India’s construction equipment (CE) industry to spearhead innovation, sustainability, and quality as it helps shape a Viksit Bharat by 2047.
Addressing the Indian Construction Equipment Manufacturers’ Association (ICEMA) Annual Session 2025 in New Delhi, Gadkari urged manufacturers to adopt green fuels, advanced machinery, and digital technologies to position India as a global leader in sustainable infrastructure.
“Green fuel, electric and hydrogen-based vehicles are not only environmentally responsible, they’re more economical and profitable,” Gadkari said, assuring that if the CE sector embraces sustainability, quality, and innovation, global demand will rise sharply.
The remarks came amid a 3% YoY growth in FY25 CE sales, reaching 1,40,191 units, and a 10% jump in exports, signalling recovery momentum in the sector.
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Highlighting the government’s zero-tolerance policy on quality, Gadkari warned that lapses in road construction or machinery standards would invite strict accountability. He also pointed to gaps in tunnelling and pre-cast construction capabilities, urging the industry to adopt high-capacity tunnel boring machines and invest in specialised pre-cast equipment.
Industry leaders echoed the minister’s call, with ICEMA President V. Vivekanand advocating mandatory operator skilling, and ICEMA President-Designate Deepak Shetty reaffirming the sector’s commitment to local manufacturing, digital adoption, and green practices.
Gadkari further announced plans to introduce a new bill in the upcoming Parliament session to help domestic firms compete globally.
