OPmobility secures contract for rapid product development in India
OPmobility
has secured a new contract from an Indian automotive manufacturer for the development of a full bumper and grille for a light-duty truck model. The product was delivered from prototype to series-ready in under 15 months, significantly shorter than the industry average of 26 months in India.
The contract underscores the growing requirement in the
Indian automotive sector
for shorter development cycles. Production is scheduled to begin by the end of 2026.
Christian Kopp, Senior Executive Vice-President and President of the Exterior & Lighting Business Group at OPmobility, said: 'The award of this contract by an Indian automotive manufacturer illustrates the talent of our teams and their agility in a fast-changing market. It also highlights our proximity with OEMs worldwide and allows us to reinforce our partnership with this long-term customer.'
Expanding operations in India
OPmobility currently equips one out of every two vehicles in India and operates four R&D centres and five manufacturing facilities across the country. The company plans to add four more plants by the end of the decade to strengthen its presence.
According to
S&P Global Mobility
, India's automotive production is expected to grow at an average rate of 4.7 per cent between 2025 and 2030.
Kopp added, 'Already a key player in this strategic country, OPmobility keeps investing significantly in India, the world's third largest automotive market and a growing industrial player. Our ambition in India is not just to supply our customers in the country, but also to use its capacities to improve our overall competitiveness in engineering and industrial production in all our countries.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
Do the deal
Trade deal is in farmers' interest. Boost to manufacturing will create factory jobs, reduce pressure on farming India has eight more days to close a trade deal with Trump. A delay would be costly because US is India's largest trading partner, absorbing 18% of goods exports. Without a deal, the tariff on those goods will jump from 10% to 26%, making them costlier. US also needs a deal to crack the Indian market, and right its balance of trade. It produces mountains of soy, wheat, corn and apples that China doesn't want anymore. So, the interest is mutual. Last week, Trump hinted a deal was imminent: 'We have one coming up, maybe with India. Very big one.' FM Sitharaman responded: 'Yes, we would love to have an agreement, a big, good, beautiful one; why not?' But there are sticking points. India has 650mn people in farming – almost twice America's population – to worry about. Most of them are poor, accounting for just 18% of GDP. Easing tariffs on agriculture and dairy would hit them hard. The US demand for access to GM crops is reportedly another red line for India. Reports indicate GOI is keen to not cede ground on the question of farm tariffs. But not having a deal may be costlier long-term. For one, 10% tariff is better than 26% when you are competing against the Chinese, who are tariffed at 30% by US. A trade deal would also make India competitive vis-à-vis other low-cost producers like Vietnam and Bangladesh. It would spur foreign investment in Indian manufacturing. But the benefits go beyond economics. Given Trump's autocratic style, an overly rigid Indian stance would affect US-India engagement in areas like defence. That's why other countries have been quick to make concessions. Canada, for example, dropped its digital services tax on Sunday, after Trump made it a pretext for cancelling trade talks. India has played its cards well so far. Budget 2025 made concessions for US automobile and other imports to soften Trump before he announced tariffs. Modi had a fruitful meeting with him in Feb. Both sides are keen to boost bilateral trade to $500bn by 2030. The momentum must not be squandered. Marginal farmers need protection, but their interests might be better served with a post-deal manufacturing boom that creates factory jobs. The alternative – fewer factory jobs, sans a deal – will only increase the pressure on farming. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email This piece appeared as an editorial opinion in the print edition of The Times of India.
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
Make the deal!
India and the United States are trying to make a big trade deal. If it works, it could really help India's factories and give people more jobs. That would also take pressure off farming, where most people still work but don't earn much. Right now, the US buys a lot of things from India — 18% of all Indian exports. But if they don't make a deal soon, taxes (called tariffs) on Indian goods in the US will go up a lot. That would make Indian products more expensive, and fewer people would buy them. The US also wants a deal. It has too much wheat, corn, and apples that China doesn't want anymore. So both countries need each other. Even President Trump said a deal with India could happen soon. India's finance minister said, 'Yes, we'd love a big, beautiful deal!' But there are problems too. India has a lot of poor farmers, and letting in cheaper American farm and dairy products might hurt them. Also, India doesn't want genetically modified (GM) crops from the US, and that's a big issue. Still, not doing a deal could be worse. It would be harder for India to compete with countries like China and Vietnam. A deal could bring more foreign money and help Indian factories grow. That means more people could leave farming and get better jobs. Also, if India is too tough in talks, it might hurt the friendship between the two countries in other areas like defence. Other countries, like Canada, are making changes to keep trade talks with the US going. India should move fast too. The Indian government has already made some smart moves, like lowering taxes on American cars. And Prime Minister Modi had a good meeting with Trump earlier this year. Both sides want to grow their trade a lot by 2030. So, while India should protect its farmers, it also needs to think about the future — more factory jobs could be the real help they need. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
Indian Express
an hour ago
- Indian Express
Teams across the table, Delhi seeks zero tariff on export of electronics
As part of its ongoing trade talks with the US, India has sought a zero-tariff structure on export of electronics items to the country, even as President Donald Trump has raised concerns around import of gadgets like the iPhone from India, and has threatened to slap additional tariffs on Apple if it sells foreign made phones in the country. 'We have sought zero duty on electronics exports to the US and our negotiators are currently discussing how to operationalise that,' a senior government official told The Indian Express requesting anonymity since the discussions are currently private. As part of his wide ranging tariff action in April, Trump had imposed a 26 per cent rate on imports from India. And while India was among the countries which saw a 90-day pause from the revised rates, the US President has since ratcheted up criticism of companies selling electronics products in the US, which are manufactured in China, India and elsewhere. As Indian trade negotiators landed in the US last Friday for the final round of in-person talks before the July 9 deadline for the reciprocal tariff pause runs out, Trump said the US and India 'may' sign a deal that will 'open up India'. Weeks after Apple said that a majority of iPhones to be sold in the US will be produced in India and its contract manufacturer Foxconn followed it up with a $1.49-billion investment plan in one of its India unit, Trump had said Apple would have to pay 25 per cent tariff if it sold in the US iPhones built in India or anyplace else. Earlier, he said that he told Apple CEO Tim Cook that he does not want the company to expand its manufacturing operations in India, unless it is to cater specifically to its domestic market. The Indian Express had reported that the US flagged a number of non-tariff barriers and high duties in India, but was yet to commit to several Indian demands, more so because the US currently lacks a valid Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). Without this, the current US administration is not legally permitted to reduce tariffs. Experts have pointed out that the tariff-related discussions in the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) negotiations may be limited only to executive-level tariffs levied by the current administration, raising questions about the long-term durability of any deal reached. Despite Trump's earlier warning to Apple that it should focus on production in the US and refrain from expanding in India, Foxconn informed the London Stock Exchange earlier this week that it was investing $1.49 billion in one of its India units, Yuzhan Technologies (India) Pvt Ltd. The plant is expected to come up in Tamil Nadu, where Foxconn also has a major iPhone production base. Currently, iPhones are primarily assembled in China, India and Vietnam, with Apple having plans to expand operations in India. Experts have said that moving production to the US would be impractical for Apple, given that the company has no manufacturing and supplier base in the country. Apple has identified India as a key market for iPhone production and a gradual base for its suppliers in a move away from China. The company currently produces nearly 15% of all iPhones in India, with plans to increase that to a quarter in the coming years. The company's assembly operation in India has been a key success story of the government's 'Make in India' push. Soumyarendra Barik is Special Correspondent with The Indian Express and reports on the intersection of technology, policy and society. With over five years of newsroom experience, he has reported on issues of gig workers' rights, privacy, India's prevalent digital divide and a range of other policy interventions that impact big tech companies. He once also tailed a food delivery worker for over 12 hours to quantify the amount of money they make, and the pain they go through while doing so. In his free time, he likes to nerd about watches, Formula 1 and football. ... Read More
