ACMA Celebrates 25 Years of Cluster Movement at First-Ever Cluster Conference 2026!
The Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA), through the ACMA Mobility Foundation, marked a significant milestone by hosting the inaugural Cluster Conference 2026 in Pune, celebrating 25 years of the ACMA Cluster Movement. The event brought together policymakers, vehicle manufacturers, auto component suppliers, industry experts, and technology leaders to discuss strategies for building globally competitive automotive supply chains while recognising the transformational impact of collaborative manufacturing initiatives over the past two and a half decades.
Held under the theme “Building World-Class Automotive Supply Chain – The ACMA Way,” the conference focused on the importance of continuous improvement, innovation, digital transformation, lean manufacturing, and industry collaboration in strengthening India’s automotive manufacturing ecosystem. The event also highlighted how structured cluster-based learning has enabled companies, particularly micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), to improve productivity, quality, operational efficiency, and global competitiveness.
Pune was chosen as the venue due to its strategic importance within India’s automotive industry. Often regarded as the country’s automotive manufacturing capital, the city is home to more than 4,000 automobile and auto component manufacturing units and has evolved into a major hub for engineering, research and development, electric vehicle technologies, precision manufacturing, and advanced industrial automation.
Addressing the conference, Vikrampati Singhania, President of ACMA and Managing Director of JK Fenner (India) Ltd, reflected on the journey of the ACMA Cluster Movement, which was launched 25 years ago with the belief that companies could achieve greater success by learning, improving, and innovating together. He said the initiative has fostered a culture of knowledge sharing, benchmarking, operational excellence, and continuous improvement across India’s automotive component sector, enabling businesses of all sizes to enhance their manufacturing capabilities.
Highlighting the industry’s recent performance, Singhania noted that India’s auto component industry recorded a turnover of more than ₹7.6 lakh crore during FY2025–26, while exports reached approximately USD 24 billion, more than doubling over the past five years. He emphasised that sustaining this growth will require continued investments in advanced manufacturing technologies, engineering capabilities, product quality, innovation, research and development, and workforce skill development.
Sriram Viji, President-Designate of ACMA and Managing Director of Brakes India Pvt. Ltd., said deeper collaboration between industry, government agencies, academia, and technology providers will be essential to creating resilient and globally competitive automotive supply chains. He observed that the Cluster Movement has played a particularly important role in helping MSMEs adopt lean manufacturing practices, improve product quality, embrace digital technologies, and strengthen their operational capabilities to compete in both domestic and international markets.
The conference also featured a keynote address by Vinamra Mishra, Joint Secretary (Administration & Technology) at the Ministry of MSME, Government of India. He outlined the government’s continued efforts to strengthen manufacturing competitiveness through enhanced support for the Zero Defect Zero Effect (ZED) Certification Scheme and Lean Manufacturing initiatives. According to Mishra, higher incentives are being introduced to encourage technology upgrades, quality certifications, market access, and international outreach, helping Indian manufacturing MSMEs become more globally competitive.
A panel discussion involving senior executives from Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles, Tata Passenger Electric Mobility, VE Commercial Vehicles, JSW Motors, TVS Motor Company, and Cummins India explored the changing dynamics of global automotive supply chains. Industry leaders discussed the growing importance of localisation, supply chain resilience, digital manufacturing, sustainability, and strategic collaboration in meeting future mobility demands while strengthening India’s position as a global manufacturing hub.
As part of the silver jubilee celebrations, ACMA released a commemorative film documenting the 25-year journey of the Cluster Movement and launched a special edition of its publication IMPACT, highlighting key milestones, success stories, and best practices from participating companies. The association also recognised outstanding achievements by honouring Cluster Star Performer Companies for excellence in manufacturing, operational improvements, productivity enhancement, and continuous improvement initiatives.
Concluding the conference, Vinnie Mehta, Director General of ACMA, said India’s auto component industry continues to benefit from strong domestic demand, sustained technology investments, and growing international confidence in the country’s manufacturing capabilities. He noted that over the past 25 years, the ACMA Cluster Movement has supported more than 2,500 manufacturing plants and thousands of industry professionals, helping organisations improve competitiveness through collaborative learning and structured capability development.
As India’s automotive industry undergoes rapid transformation driven by electrification, digitalisation, automation, and evolving global supply chains, the ACMA Cluster Movement continues to serve as a powerful model for industry collaboration. By promoting knowledge sharing, lean manufacturing, quality excellence, and continuous innovation, the initiative remains instrumental in building a stronger, more resilient, and globally competitive automotive manufacturing ecosystem for the future.
