Piyush Goyal brought up concerns regarding the German company Herrenknecht, which manufactures TBMs in China and supplies them to India for infrastructure projects like metro systems and the Ahmedabad-Mumbai bullet train. Goyal pointed out that China has now blocked the sale of these machines, causing significant setbacks for India’s infrastructure projects. In a direct message to Habeck, Goyal mentioned that if such issues persist, India might reconsider buying equipment from Germany.
The video shared on X shows Goyal expressing his concerns firmly, while Habeck appeared initially unaware of the production location of these machines and questioned, “They are producing in China?” Goyal responded affirmatively and further indicated a possible shift away from German equipment if the challenges were not addressed. The video captures a moment where, after listening to Goyal’s statements, Habeck rose and remarked, “I think I should listen to you.”
pic.twitter.com/C1kOcio4LY
🔹Piyush Goyal: Your German Company is supplying us some tunnel boring machines which they make in China
🔹Robert Habeck (Vice-Chancellor of Germany): They are producing in China?
🔹Piyush Goyal: Yes. We should stop buying German Equipment Now
*Awkward…— The Viral News (@theviralnews099) October 27, 2024
Herrenknecht TBMs have played a crucial role in various Indian projects, including metro systems in Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Kolkata, as well as the high-speed rail project between Ahmedabad and Mumbai. This incident underscores India’s ongoing efforts to protect its infrastructure projects from international supply chain disruptions while also hinting at a shift toward increased self-reliance or diversification of suppliers amid geopolitical tensions.
