ABB to boost India manufacturing, R&D with USD 75m investment

ABB has announced plans to invest approximately USD 75 million in India in 2026 to expand its manufacturing footprint and research and development (R&D) capabilities across several locations. The investment will support the production of electrification and automation technologies used in sectors such as renewable energy, metro rail systems, data centres and other critical infrastructure.

The planned expenditure follows an investment of more than USD 35 million in 2025 and reflects the company’s continued focus on its “local-for-local” strategy in India. According to the company, about 85 per cent of the products and solutions it sells in India are manufactured locally.

The new investment will support expansion across ABB’s Electrification, Motion and Automation businesses. Over the past decade, the company has invested more than USD 230 million in India to strengthen the country’s role as a manufacturing and engineering base. This year also marks the company’s 76th year of operations in India.

Morten Wierod, Chief Executive Officer of ABB, said the investment forms part of the company’s broader strategy to support infrastructure development in the country.

“This investment in India is an important part of our strategy to support infrastructure build-out and growth in one of our fastest-growing markets,” he said. “We are seeing strong demand driven by the country’s energy transition, grid modernisation, data centre development, and the expansion of metro and high-speed rail networks.”

The expansion is also expected to create more than 300 skilled jobs across engineering, operations and research roles.

Expansion Across Multiple Locations

In Bengaluru, ABB will invest USD 14 million in its Nelamangala facilities to expand production capabilities and introduce new electrical protection and enclosure technologies planned for launch in 2026. The investment will also support the expansion of the company’s converter manufacturing operations, which are used in sustainable mobility applications such as metro rail and high-speed rail systems.

A newly developed second campus at Nelamangala will increase production capacity for uninterruptible power supply (UPS) solutions and house dedicated R&D activities. The facility will also manufacture rectifiers, excitation systems and gas analysis systems used in industrial and energy applications.

The company is also investing USD 21 million at its Peenya facility in Bengaluru to increase manufacturing capacity for low-voltage drives and specialised motors, including flameproof motors and large smoke-venting motors. Additional investments will support digital service capabilities, including remote monitoring, diagnostics and training facilities.

In Hyderabad, ABB is developing a new laboratory and office complex. The first phase includes a USD 12 million investment in leased office and laboratory space covering more than 12,400 square metres. A second phase will include the construction of a high-power laboratory on company-owned land, which will serve as a hub for R&D and engineering teams.

The company is also expanding its facility in Nashik with a USD 22 million investment to increase production of indoor and outdoor circuit breakers and expand its vacuum interrupter manufacturing capacity. The expansion will also support the localisation of 33 kV primary gas-insulated switchgear and the development of SF6-free technologies by 2028.

In Vadodara, ABB plans to invest USD 6 million to expand manufacturing capacity for slow-speed synchronous generators and induction motors used in sectors such as metals, oil and gas, cement and wind power. The project will also include the expansion of service workshops and the establishment of a training centre.

Operations in India

ABB reported revenue of more than USD 1.5 billion in India in 2025, accounting for about four per cent of the group’s global revenue. The company employs more than 10,000 people in the country and operates nearly 25 manufacturing, distribution and operational facilities, along with five major R&D centres.

Headquartered in Switzerland, ABB develops technologies for electrification and automation used across industries including energy, transportation and manufacturing. The company has more than 140 years of industrial history and employs around 110,000 people worldwide.