“In India, we still mostly say ‘manpower’ the idea of ‘women power’ has not yet made its way into tooling”, says Satyabrata Das, Senior GM – IAC Group.
– By Neha Basudkar Ghate
1: What are the major challenges in delivering better products for automotive interiors and exteriors?
A: When a customer experiences a car, they don’t just look at it they see it, touch it, feel it, sit inside it, and assess comfort. So anything that looks or feels wrong immediately stands out. That means tooling has to ensure perfection in every visible and tactile aspect. Take the Zero Parting Line (ZPL), for instance. If a customer places their hand somewhere and feels a sharp edge, that is unacceptable. Similarly, aspects like the colour selection, fabrics, surfaces, textures all of these play a role in customer perception. So tool makers need to deliver better quality tooling, faster, with shorter lead times. Most importantly, the philosophy is ‘do it right the first time’. That’s what the automotive industry expects,
2: What does the tooling industry need to do to meet these expectations?
A: The tooling industry needs to significantly upgrade itself in terms of technology. When we talk about zero parting lines, perfect surfaces, and eliminating post‑processing like painting, it means the component should be molded in such a way that it can directly go into the car. Achieving that requires tremendous accuracy.
That, in turn, demands investment in 5‑axis machines, advanced infrastructure, and significant capex all while protecting margins. The good news is that Indian tool makers are now stepping up. They are learning from global practices, adopting new technologies, and upgrading their ecosystem. We’ve reached a stage where we can confidently look at the world and say, Yes, we too are making better tools.
3: When we talk about global benchmarks in tooling, where do you think India stands today?
A: The first thing we need to change is our mindset. Too often, when someone from outside, say a Chinese supplier shows us something, we assume they must be right just because they’re ahead. Yes, it’s true they have set benchmarks, but the question is why. The reason is that their industry has been pushed much harder, especially with the rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) in China.
Today, in China, EVs are far more common than ICE vehicles, and EVs come with very different demands. There is no engine noise, so even the smallest squeak or rattle inside the car is immediately noticeable. Customers look for silence, for lightweight components, for a premium feel in terms of textures and surfaces. And all of this has to come from better tools. That push has forced them to deliver innovations and set global benchmarks.
4: What specific areas should the Indian tooling industry benchmark itself against?
A: The interesting thing is, the machines in India and the machines in China are largely the same. It’s not about equipment alone — it’s how you use it. We need to study how quickly they build tools, what kind of designs they are adopting, how they simplify those designs, and even what raw materials they are using.
To summarize, there are four or five key areas where we should benchmark ourselves:
- Design excellence – developing smarter, more efficient tool designs.
- Raw materials – choosing and standardising inputs that ensure consistency.
- Technology adoption – leveraging advanced machining and manufacturing techniques.
- Delivery and speed – ensuring we can meet demanding lead times.
- Process discipline – ensuring repeatability and quality with fewer iterations.
If we focus on these, we cannot just match but eventually set new benchmarks ourselves.
5: Beyond technology and processes, what workforce challenges do you see in the Indian tooling industry?
A: The bigger challenge is in manpower stability. In India, we still mostly say ‘manpower’ the idea of ‘women power’ has not yet made its way into tooling. But if you go to any tooling company in China, you will find that 50% of their workforce is women. They bring stability; they are steady, focused, and consistent.
In India, we often see higher attrition with men frequently changing jobs, which disrupts stability. This is why I strongly believe we need to bring more women into the tooling industry. They absolutely can do it, and their participation could be a game‑changer for the sector. To me, that is one of the biggest gaps we need to address.
6: India is the fourth largest economy, yet tooling seems behind. Why do you think this gap exists?
A: Yes, we are the fourth largest economy, but in tooling we are around 11th or 12th globally. And those ahead of us, like China, didn’t get there overnight they started from where we are today about 10 years ago, and built their ecosystem step by step.
One challenge here is financing. In China, if you need to invest in tooling or machines, loans are available at 2–3% interest. In India, you may need to put 30% of the cost upfront from your own pocket, and then borrow at 12% interest. That makes people hesitant to take bold investment decisions. Without easier funding support, growth is naturally slower.
7: What do we need to change in our ecosystem to catch up?
A: The next big challenge is mindset. In India, everyone wants to be a tool maker. But the system doesn’t have to work that way. Look at China, some companies specialize. A group will invest in 5–10 milling machines and become masters in milling alone. Another group focuses only on EDM activities and builds deep expertise. Together, these masters create a successful tooling ecosystem.
In India, we try to be jack of all trades rather than master of one. If we change this like encourage specialization, ensure OEMs and Tier‑1s support with a little capital and reasonable timelines, then the ecosystem matures faster. It won’t happen overnight, but I believe we are not far away. With the right steps, we too can close the gap.
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