How Make in India Is Powering India’s Transmission Growth

New Delhi [India], January 13: As India advances toward its goal of becoming a global manufacturing and infrastructure powerhouse, the Make in India programme has emerged as a defining force across strategic sectors. Among these, power transmission stands out as a critical enabler of economic growth, industrial expansion, and energy security. From the indigenisation of high-voltage equipment to the successful execution of complex international grid projects, the sector today reflects a growing confidence in domestic capability and global competitiveness.

Offering a practitioner’s perspective, Jabraj Singh, Vice President – Projects (T&D International) at KEC International Ltd., explains how Make in India is strengthening India’s power transmission ecosystem, building resilient supply chains, and positioning Indian companies as reliable partners in global energy infrastructure development.

“Power is the backbone of India’s growth story. Over the past 11 years, Make in India has played a transformative role by promoting domestic manufacturing, fostering innovation, and enabling meaningful global collaborations. It has helped create a power ecosystem that is increasingly self-reliant, resilient, and future-ready,” Singh notes.

Building Indigenous Manufacturing Capability

At the heart of this transformation lies a focused push to localise the manufacturing of critical transmission equipment. India is steadily transitioning from being a net importer of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) and high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) components to developing indigenous capabilities across transformers, high-capacity cables, converters, and switchgear.

According to Singh, this shift is not merely about cost efficiency but strategic autonomy.

“Energy security today depends on technological self-reliance. When critical transmission equipment is manufactured domestically, project execution becomes faster, more predictable, and less vulnerable to global supply-chain disruptions,” he explains.

This localisation has significantly enhanced India’s ability to deliver large-scale, time-sensitive power projects—both within the country and in international markets.

Policy Support Driving Ecosystem Growth

Government-led initiatives such as the Production Linked Incentive Scheme (PLI) have played a catalytic role in accelerating domestic manufacturing. By incentivising scale and technological advancement, the scheme has encouraged investments aligned with global quality and performance benchmarks.

Complementary frameworks including PM GatiShakti, the National Logistics Policy, GST reforms, and the National Manufacturing Mission have further strengthened the ecosystem. Together, these policies have improved coordination across infrastructure development, logistics, and industrial growth—making the execution of complex transmission projects more efficient and globally competitive.

Enabling India’s Renewable Energy Ambitions

A resilient domestic transmission supply chain has become indispensable as India undertakes one of the world’s most ambitious clean energy transitions. With a target of integrating 500 GW of non-fossil fuel capacity by 2030, the expansion of transmission infrastructure—particularly green energy corridors connecting renewable-rich states such as Rajasthan and Gujarat to major demand centres—has become mission-critical.

Localised manufacturing ensures the timely availability of equipment for these projects, supporting faster renewable integration and improved grid stability. Singh emphasises that a robust transmission backbone is the invisible enabler of India’s renewable energy ambitions.

Long-Term Efficiency and Cost Advantages

Over the long term, localisation is expected to reduce costs across the power value chain. Lower dependence on imports, economies of scale, and shorter supply lines collectively contribute to more cost-efficient transmission development. These efficiencies help reduce the overall cost of clean energy, benefiting consumers while strengthening the financial sustainability of power utilities.

As India modernises its grid to support digital monitoring, higher capacity flows, and greater operational flexibility, such cost and efficiency gains will become increasingly critical.

A Strategic National Asset

Looking ahead, Make in India is redefining power transmission from a support function into a strategic national asset. By aligning policy intent with industry capability, the initiative is building a self-sufficient, resilient, and globally competitive ecosystem capable of powering India’s growth for decades.

As Jabraj Singh concludes, the true success of Make in India lies in its ability to convert ambition into execution—strengthening the grid that will ultimately carry India’s development story forward.

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