Setting the stage
for innovation and industry collaboration, Die & Mould India International
Exhibition 2026 (DMI 2026) commenced at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon,
Mumbai, on April 21, 2026. Organised by the Tool & Gauge Manufacturers
Association of India (TAGMA), DMI 2026 promises to showcase various technological
developments for the booming die and mould industry. It highlights the
opportunities and challenges and provides a platform for toolmakers to learn
from the user industry.

The four-day event
has brought together leading toolmakers, technology providers, and user
industries to highlight advancements in die and mould technology, CNC
machining, automation, and additive manufacturing, all aimed at strengthening
the ‘Make in India’ initiative.

The exhibition’s
inauguration ceremony was graced by Mr. Manoj Kolhatkar, MD and CEO, Tata
AutoComp Systems Ltd., who was the event’s Chief Guest. Mr. F. R. Singhvi,
Joint Managing Director, Sansera Engineering Ltd. and President, Aerospace
India Association; Mr. Vinamra Mishra, Joint Secretary, Ministry of MSME, Government
of India; and Mr. Hector U. Villanueva, Chairman, FADMA, were the Guests of
Honour. Mr. Devaraya M. Sheregar, President, TAGMA India, and Mr. D.
Shanmugasundaram, Vice President, TAGMA India, were also present alongside
other dignitaries. The ceremonial lighting of the lamp by the esteemed guests
marked the auspicious beginning of the exhibition.

Addressing the
Audience

Extending a warm
welcome to everyone present at the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Sheregar said,
“This year’s Die & Mould India is our largest edition so far. We have over
350 exhibitors participating across three halls; we are expecting 35,000+
visitors over the next three days. Die & Mould India is not just an
exhibition. It is a platform where the entire ecosystem comes together to
showcase capabilities, exchange ideas, and build partnerships that will shape
the future of our industry.”

Talking about the
opportunities in the tooling industry, Mr. Sheregar added, “Over the past year,
the industry has experienced a positive momentum. Many toolmakers have
witnessed robust business growth, improved order books, and better capacity
utilisation. At the same time, we are seeing increased investments in advanced
technologies, automation, and modern machining capabilities. Many Indian toolmakers
are now not only serving domestic customers but are also exporting to global
markets. There is also a strong focus on skill development, which is very
important for the future of our industry.”

Highlighting the
importance of skill development, Mr. Singhvi said, “The government expects the
industry to do well, and industry expects the government to support it. Over
the last 40 years, many have perished, some have remained small, but many of us
have grown in the same environment. The difference lies in the people who run
the industry. In my 30-year journey, skill development has been the single most
impactful focus. Salaries have risen from INR 18,000 to INR 35,000, but is that
enough? Growth depends on people. Ten employees can take you so far; a hundred
can take you ten times further; five hundred can take you a hundred times
further. Retaining and nurturing employees is the real growth engine.”

Mr. Singhvi added,
“We fail to give employees an extra INR 3,000–5,000 or a clear roadmap for
their future. That’s how we lose our best people. Skill is the foundation. We
face a paradox: millions of young people struggle for jobs, while industries
struggle to fulfil orders due to a lack of skilled manpower. Train them, retain
them, and in 2–3 years, they will become experts who drive your business
forward.”

“The government
will support MSMEs, but don’t wait for them to start. If India wants to lead in
manufacturing, we must first lead in tooling. That is the foundation of modern
industry,” Mr. Singhvi concluded.

Speaking about the
contributions of MSMEs, Mr. Mishra noted, “MSMEs have made immense
contributions to the country’s economic growth, whether it is exports, where we
contribute 45%, or manufacturing GVO, where our share is 37%. The MSME
ecosystem today employs close to 8.1 crore people. Clearly, these are the
growth drivers. But within this, the tooling industry is the precision gear
that drives the entire ecosystem.”

Mr. Mishra added,
“The government has set its goal on supporting the manufacturing ecosystem. We
need to ideate together and let the government know what works. For example, in
the innovation sector, India rose from around 80–90th in the Global Innovation
Index to the early 30s within a decade. This was possible because of
investments in R&D and supportive frameworks. Similarly, manufacturing can
be strengthened with the right steps.” Focussing on the importance of
innovation, Mr. Villanueva said, “Die & Mould India has established itself
as a premium platform for motivation, innovation, and excellence in the tooling
and die industry… We are witnessing a transformative moment in manufacturing.
Smart manufacturing, CNC technologies, additive manufacturing, and integrated
automation are redefining how industry operates. These innovations are enhancing
productivity and precision while enabling more sustainable and efficient
production systems. I commend TAGMA India for its unwavering commitment to
advancing the tooling industry by bringing together stakeholders from
automotive, aerospace, consumer goods, and packaging.”

The opportunities
for the tooling industry are expanding. Highlighting the opportunities in the
auto industry, Mr. Kolhatkar said, “The Indian economy today is among the
brightest in the world, and the auto industry has had its best year ever. In
2025–26, India recorded production of 5.5 million passenger cars, nearly 27
million two-wheelers, and over a million each of commercial vehicles, tractors,
and three-wheelers. Auto components, as an industry, crossed $90 billion, and
for the first time, exports slightly exceeded imports— showing how far we have
matured. Yet, in the tool and die fraternity, we still import about 35%. Every
new car model requires tooling investments of around INR 4,000 crore in India,
and billions overseas. While frugal engineering helps us keep costs lower, the
scope for growth in tooling remains immense.”

Mr.
Shanmugasundaram then concluded the ceremony with a Vote of Thanks. He said,
“As we inaugurate Die & Mould India 2026, I would like to share a broader
perspective on our industry— where we stand today and where we are headed. This
is not just the inauguration of an exhibition; it is a reflection of where we
have come from in the last 10 years, and where we are going in the next 10.”

He also extended a
warm welcome to members of the Federation of Asian Die and Mould Associations
(FADMA). “We are honoured to host around 20 delegates from Hong Kong, Japan,
Malaysia, the Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. It is a matter of pride
that the FADMA Annual General Meeting is being hosted in India this year,
immediately following this exhibition. Your presence strengthens global
collaboration, and we truly value this association. I would like to offer a
special thanks to all exhibitors, partners, sponsors, and the TAGMA team for
creating this outstanding platform,” he said.

DMI: Powering
India’s Tooling Future

TAGMA India
introduced the Die & Mould India Exhibition series in 1998 to encourage and
strengthen the die and mould fraternity. Over the years, the exhibition has
grown into India’s largest platform for the tooling industry. It covers a wide
spectrum of products and services, including dies and moulds, press tools,
mould bases, hot runner systems, tool steel, heat treatment, gauges, CAD/CAM
solutions, additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping, CNC machining centers,
EDM, moulding and die-casting machines, polishing equipment, cutting tools,
measuring systems, and related accessories. The exhibition provides
participants with opportunities to explore new business potential, gain
insights into industry challenges, witness live demonstrations, and stay
updated with global innovations. The show also serves as a meeting ground for
the tooling fraternity.

The 2024 edition of
Die & Mould India International Exhibition was a major success. The event
featured 300+ exhibitors from 15+ countries and drew more than 38000 visitors
across 15 sectors. Its highlights included 35+ product launches, strong
participation in the B2B Pavilion, an engaging Korea Pavilion, and delegations
from more than 25 companies. The scale and response reaffirmed the exhibition’s
importance as a global hub for tooling excellence and its role in shaping the
future of India’s die and mould industry.