Piyush Goyal: India will build own tunnel-boring machines if China halts supply
Synopsis
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal drew a hard line at a Delhi University forum: if China stops supplying tunnel-boring machines, India will build its own. The remark — blunt, unhedged, and strategically timed — signals that New Delhi is done treating Chinese supply chains as a given, even for critical civil-engineering equipment underpinning its infrastructure ambitions.
Key Takeaways
Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal declared on 3 November 2026 that India will manufacture tunnel-boring machines domestically if China halts supplies.
Goyal made the remarks at the Young Leaders Discourse Forum, Kirori Mal College, Delhi University .
He stated India would not seek concessions from any country in exchange for access to key technologies.
Tunnel-boring machines are critical to India's metro, highway, and strategic infrastructure projects, where Chinese imports have historically dominated.
The statement aligns with the broader Make in India push to reduce dependence on Chinese imports across strategic sectors.
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, declared that India would manufacture its own tunnel-boring machines domestically if China ceases to supply the critical equipment, stressing that New Delhi would not compromise on its strategic interests in the face of Beijing's latest export restrictions.
Goyal made the remarks while addressing the Young Leaders Discourse Forum at Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, asserting that India would not trade away access to key technologies by seeking concessions from any nation.
The Core Statement
'If they don't give us tunnel-boring machines, we will develop it in India. India is not someone who will give in,' the minister said directly. The remarks come amid growing concerns over China's use of export controls on strategic equipment as a geopolitical lever — a pattern seen across multiple sectors in recent months.
Goyal further asserted that no external obstacle could impede India's development trajectory. 'No matter what wall comes in the journey of India's progress, we can break every chain,' he said, framing self-reliance as a non-negotiable national posture.
Strategic Context: Why Tunnel-Boring Machines Matter
Tunnel-boring machines are heavy-duty civil engineering equipment used extensively in India's expanding metro rail, highway, and strategic infrastructure projects. India has historically depended on imports — particularly from China — for this high-precision equipment. Any supply disruption could delay major infrastructure timelines, making domestic manufacturing capability a critical strategic priority.
This comes amid a broader push under the Make in India initiative to reduce dependence on Chinese imports across sectors ranging from electronics and solar modules to heavy engineering. Goyal's statement signals that tunnel-boring machines could be the next frontier in this indigenisation drive.
Engagement With Young Leaders
The minister described the forum as a meaningful exchange, noting that students posed substantive questions on India's economic development and the pathways available for young people to contribute to national growth. He said discussions centred on how India is charting its development journey and the constructive role the younger generation can play in nation-building.
'Back to college! What a wonderful interaction with students at the Young Leaders Discourse Forum at Kirori Mal College, Delhi University,' Goyal said. 'They had some excellent questions on how India is charting its growth journey and what are the opportunities in it for them to contribute meaningfully,' he added.
A Lighter Note — and a Message to Teachers
On a lighter note, Goyal recalled that as a student in Mumbai, nothing pleased him more than a school holiday announcement — often hoped for when heavy monsoon rains threatened to flood the city. Referencing an apparent ongoing teachers' strike at the venue, he said: 'Of course, I don't know why the teachers have gone on strike, but I do hope the matter will be resolved quickly and that you will be able to return to your academics.'
With Beijing's export controls increasingly shaping the contours of India-China economic ties, Goyal's remarks signal a firming of New Delhi's self-reliance posture — and the government is expected to outline specific indigenisation targets for heavy engineering equipment in the coming months.
Point of View
But the harder question is whether India has the industrial base to back it up. Tunnel-boring machines are among the most complex pieces of civil engineering equipment in existence — Germany's Herrenknecht and China's CRCHI dominate global supply. India's own heavy engineering sector has not yet demonstrated the precision manufacturing depth required. The self-reliance rhetoric is strategically sound and politically resonant, but without a credible domestic production roadmap — timelines, funding, a named public-sector or private anchor — it risks remaining an aspiration rather than a plan. The government's track record on translating indigenisation pledges into operational capability in high-precision sectors has been uneven, and tunnel-boring machines would represent a significant step up in complexity from what India currently produces indigenously.
NationPress
3 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Piyush Goyal say about tunnel-boring machines and China?
Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on 3 November 2026 that India would develop tunnel-boring machines domestically if China stops supplying them, asserting that India would not compromise on its strategic interests or seek concessions in exchange for technology access.
Why are tunnel-boring machines strategically important for India?
Tunnel-boring machines are essential for India's rapidly expanding metro rail, highway tunnels, and strategic infrastructure projects. Heavy reliance on Chinese imports for this equipment means any supply disruption could significantly delay major national infrastructure timelines.
What is the context of China's export restrictions mentioned by Goyal?
China has increasingly deployed export controls on critical equipment and materials as a geopolitical instrument, a pattern observed across multiple sectors. Goyal's remarks signal India's intent to pre-empt potential supply disruptions by building domestic manufacturing capability.
Where did Piyush Goyal make these remarks?
Goyal spoke at the Young Leaders Discourse Forum held at Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, on 3 November 2026, where he also engaged with students on India's economic development and youth opportunities.
How does this fit into India's Make in India strategy?
The statement aligns with India's broader Make in India initiative, which aims to indigenise production across sectors where Chinese imports dominate. Tunnel-boring machines could be the next target for indigenisation, following electronics, solar modules, and EV components.
