ABB invests $75m to expand manufacturing and R&D footprint in India

Posted on 13 Mar 2026 by James Devonshire
Company: ABB

ABB has announced plans to invest around $75m in India during 2026 to expand its manufacturing capacity and research and development (R&D) capabilities across several key industrial sectors.

Key takeaways:

  • ABB will invest around $75m in India in 2026 to expand manufacturing capacity and R&D across its electrification, motion and automation businesses.
  • The expansion will create more than 300 skilled jobs in engineering, operations and research.
  • Five locations will benefit from the investment — Bengaluru (Nelamangala and Peenya), Hyderabad, Nashik and Vadodara.
  • The projects target fast-growing sectors including renewable energy, metro and rail infrastructure, data centres and industrial electrification.
  • The investment strengthens ABB’s localisation strategy, with about 85% of the products it sells in India already manufactured in the country.

The investment will support growth in the company’s electrification, motion and automation businesses and includes upgrades and expansions at facilities in Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Nashik and Vadodara. ABB said the programme will create more than 300 skilled jobs in engineering, operations and research.

The latest commitment builds on more than $35m invested in the country in 2025 and forms part of the company’s “local-for-local” strategy, under which around 85% of the products ABB sells in India are manufactured domestically.

Morten Wierod, chief executive officer at ABB, said the investment reflects the company’s confidence in India’s growth and the rising demand for electrification and automation technologies.

“India is one of our fastest growing markets and we are seeing strong demand driven by the energy transition, grid modernisation, data centre development and the expansion of metro and high-speed rail networks,” he said. “Expanding our manufacturing and R&D capabilities will allow us to support that demand while strengthening our ability to serve other markets in the region.”

Expanding manufacturing capacity

ABB said the investment will support infrastructure sectors including renewable energy, data centres and public transport, while strengthening India’s role as a manufacturing hub for advanced electrification and automation technologies.

In Bengaluru, $14m will be invested at the company’s Nelamangala campus to expand production and introduce new technology ranges, including electrical protection and enclosure solutions. The site will also scale up converter manufacturing to support India’s growing sustainable mobility sector, particularly metro and high-speed rail systems.

A newly developed second campus at Nelamangala will focus on power protection technologies, including a tenfold increase in production capacity for uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, alongside new rectifier manufacturing and dedicated R&D facilities.

At its Peenya operations in Bengaluru, ABB will invest $21m to expand manufacturing of low-voltage drives and specialised motors, including flameproof motors and smoke-venting motors. The site will also add a new innovation lab, remote monitoring capabilities and upgraded training facilities.

New research and testing facilities

ABB is also strengthening its R&D presence in India through new laboratories and engineering spaces.

In Hyderabad, the company is developing a multi-phase laboratory and office project, with $12m allocated to the first phase in 2026. The facility will house R&D and engineering teams and includes more than 12,000m² of office and laboratory space. A second phase will include a high-power testing laboratory planned for completion later in the year.

Further manufacturing expansion is planned in Nashik, where ABB is investing $22m to increase production of indoor and outdoor circuit breakers and expand its vacuum interrupter manufacturing facility. The site will also support the localisation of 33kV gas-insulated switchgear and the development of SF6-free technologies by 2028.

In Vadodara, a further $6m will be invested to expand production of slow-speed synchronous generators and increase capacity for induction motors used in industries such as metals, oil and gas, cement and wind power. The site will also gain an expanded services workshop and a new training centre.

Long-term investment in India

ABB has operated in India for 76 years and has invested more than $230m in the country over the past decade. The company employs more than 10,000 people across nearly 25 manufacturing, distribution and operational facilities, alongside five major R&D centres.

In 2025, ABB’s Indian operations generated revenue of more than $1.5bn, representing around 4% of the group’s global total.

The company said the latest investment reflects its long-term strategy to localise production, support infrastructure development and expand the availability of sustainable electrification technologies in one of the world’s fastest growing industrial markets.

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