We plan to double our India business over the next five years

Sunil Khanduja, Managing Director, Ingersoll Rand India and the SAARC region, speaks on the company’s strategic roadmap with a focus on sustainability, customer-centric growth, and operational excellence.

Ingersoll Rand has a legacy of over 100 years. Could you share the journey of the company in India and its key milestones?

Ingersoll Rand’s journey in India spans over a century, and that legacy is something we are deeply proud of. We started with our Naroda facility in 1965, and over time, we have grown alongside India’s industrial development. Our solutions have powered industries from textiles to pharmaceuticals, oil and gas to process industry and power sector to semiconductor therefore, contributing to the country’s progress. Each milestone has been about building trust with our customers and communities. Today, as we prepare to commission our state-of-the-art Sanand facility, we are entering a new era of scale, sustainability, and innovation — reinforcing our commitment to India for the next 100 years and beyond.

What differentiates Ingersoll Rand in a highly competitive industrial solutions market, and how does your “Make Life Better” growth plan reflect in day-to-day operations?

What truly differentiates Ingersoll Rand is our customer-first mindset and our purpose of ‘Making Life Better’, which is built on four strong pillars — for our customers, by delivering reliable, energy-efficient solutions; for our employees, by creating an environment of growth and empowerment; for our planet, by driving sustainability and reducing emissions; and for our stakeholders, by ensuring long-term value creation.

Our growth plan is not just about numbers — it’s about embedding this purpose in everything we do. Whether it is through our energy-efficient compressors, digital monitoring tools like EcoPlant, or our Care service programmes, every step reflects our intent to create real impact for customers while improving lives for our employees and communities through CSR initiatives.

What is the current status of Indian manufacturing sector? How do you see India’s industrial ecosystem evolving amid market uncertainties and supply chain disruptions?

India today is one of the most promising manufacturing destinations in the world. Despite global headwinds and supply chain disruptions, the resilience of India’s industrial ecosystem stands out. We are witnessing increasing confidence in India’s ability to serve both domestic and global demand. Of course, uncertainties remain — whether geopolitical or economic — but I believe these also create opportunities. Customers are looking for smarter ways to optimise operations and manage costs, and this is where Ingersoll Rand plays a very crucial role.

Instead of investing in new machinery, industries can now extend the life and value of their existing assets. Through Ingersoll Rand’s CARE service, EcoPlant for energy efficiency, Airend upgrades and retrofits, and Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) add-ons solutions, we help them improve performance while reducing energy costs and carbon footprints.

What role will the new Sanand manufacturing facility play in achieving the company’s growth targets? 

We have set ourselves a bold ambition of doubling our India business in the next five years. The foundation of this growth is our Strategy, which focuses on organic expansion, service-led growth, differentiated product launches, digital adoption, agile manufacturing, and competency building. The Sanand facility will be central to this ambition — it will give us scale, flexibility, and a platform to serve not only India but global markets with products that are sustainable, energy-efficient, and competitive. As we are a company with multi-brand, multi-channel strategy, we will also witness multiple brands and engineered to order products being manufactured here. It is more than a plant; it represents our commitment to India as a growth engine for the world.

With the government’s thrust on Make in India and green manufacturing, what opportunities and challenges do you foresee for industrial players?

The government’s focus on Make in India and sustainable growth has created significant momentum for industrial players. For companies like ours, this is both an opportunity and a responsibility. The opportunity lies in scaling local manufacturing, increasing exports, and creating jobs. The responsibility is to ensure that we grow in a sustainable manner — by reducing energy consumption, lowering emissions, and enabling our customers to achieve their green goals. We see ourselves not just as manufacturers, but as partners in building a more sustainable industrial future for India.

How do you view the role of advanced technologies—such as digitalization, energy-efficient systems, and smart manufacturing—in shaping the future of India’s industrial sector?

Technology is reshaping every aspect of industry, and India is no exception. From digitalization and smart manufacturing to energy-efficient solutions, the future will be defined by innovation. At Ingersoll Rand, we are already investing in these areas. Our EcoPlant solution, for example, enables customers to monitor, control, and optimise their entire compressed air system digitally, ensuring both efficiency and reliability. We are also integrating AI-driven insights, variable speed drives, and air-end upgrades to help customers achieve more with less.

Additionally, recognising the rising demand for energy-efficient solutions, we have adopted Permanent Magnet Motor technologies with IE5 efficiency, further enhancing our product performance and sustainability. We also placed greater emphasis on developing high-performing, sustainable products, forging strategic supplier partnerships, and leveraging Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) technologies.

We have initiated BIS certification under Scheme X for all our products, reinforcing our commitment to safety, reliability, and performance in line with Indian norms. In preparation for the upcoming Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) star rating mandate, we have already completed the registration of our fast-moving Air-Cooled Reciprocating and Lubricated Rotary Compressors—well ahead of the 2026 deadline set by the Ministry of Power. Together with our world-class service support, these initiatives have been instrumental in driving customer success and reinforcing our position as a forward-thinking industry leader.

This is how we see ourselves leading the next wave of industrial transformation in India.

Looking ahead, how is Ingersoll Rand preparing to support India’s high-growth trajectory, while ensuring long-term value creation for customers, employees, and the community?

Looking ahead, we are very optimistic about India’s growth trajectory. Our focus is to grow alongside our customers, empowering them with reliable, energy-efficient, and sustainable solutions. At the same time, we remain deeply committed to creating long-term value — not just for customers, but also for our employees and the communities we serve. Through our CSR initiatives in nutrition, healthcare, education, and sustainability, we want to ensure that as we grow as a company, we are also contributing to making life better for society. For me, that balance of business success and social impact defines the true future of Ingersoll Rand in India.