In this episode, Staffan Zetterström and Fabian Niklas travel to India, one of the world's most dynamic and rapidly growing die casting markets. Our guest, Tej Bambra, brings nearly four decades of industry experience and a lifetime of insight into how the Indian die casting landscape has evolved from manual casting in the 1970s to today’s robotics and closed-loop systems.

Key Insights

* India vs. China — how scale, demand, and government incentives shape both markets.

* Technology adoption — why most Indian die casters still rely on imported European and Chinese machinery, and how this affects cost competitiveness.

* Materials and innovation — the early steps in magnesium die casting and the maturity of aluminium smelting in India.

* Automotive outlook — from 4.9 million four-wheelers and 21 million two-wheelers today to a projected 10 million cars by 2030.

* EV growth and the two-wheeler backbone — how electrification could reshape India’s mobility sector.

* Global positioning — what it will take for India to narrow the gap to China and become a true manufacturing counterweight.

“The Future is bright, but we have to bridge the Gap in Technology and Scale”

Tej also reflects on the cultural and economic contrasts between Europe and India: while the West may be moving away from car ownership, in India, a car remains a symbol of status and freedom, and that demand is driving industrial growth.

This episode offers a grounded look at where Indian die casting stands today and how it’s preparing for the next decade of transformation.

Thank you for listening. We’ll see you in the next episode, where we’ll continue to bring you the latest insights and updates from the casting world. Don’t forget to ask questions, write comments, or make suggestions for future episodes.

Until next time, keep casting strong!

Fabian and Staffan

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