India will develop its own tunnel boring machines if China imposes restrictions on exports of the equipment, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Tuesday.
“If they (China) don’t give tunnel boring machines, we will develop in India,” Goyal said while delivering a keynote address at the Young Leaders Discourse Forum organised by Kirori Mal College in Delhi.
His remarks come as China moves to tighten controls on exports of tunnel boring machines, adding to concerns over access to critical industrial equipment.
Tunnel boring machines are used to excavate circular or near-circular tunnels through a range of ground conditions, from hard rock to soft and water-saturated soil, while minimising disruption at the surface.
Besides tunnel boring machines, India is seeking to reduce its dependence on China for other critical inputs, including rare earths, Goyal said.
Beijing has tightened export controls on some rare earth products and magnets, prompting India to step up efforts to build domestic capabilities. The government has already announced a Rs 7,280 crore scheme to create 6,000 tonnes per annum of integrated rare-earth permanent magnet manufacturing capacity in India.
“When they put curbs on rare earth, I called a meeting with all our start-ups and encouraged them to manufacture our own motors without rare earths,” Goyal said.
“Some start-ups have started producing motors without rare earth of equal quality and equal efficiency,” he added.
A parliamentary committee has also flagged India’s dependence on China-dominated rare earth and critical mineral supply chains and called for greater support for rare-earth-free motor technologies and alternative materials.
China’s move to tighten controls on strategic exports comes as New Delhi and Beijing seek to improve bilateral relations following the deterioration in ties after the 2020 Galwan Valley border clash.
“Our relations with China remain good and if there aren’t any new hurdles, it can improve further,” Goyal said.
