Knorr-Bremse has reaffirmed its long-term commitment to India by hosting the Supplier Summit India 2025 on November 12 in Chennai. The event underscored the company’s focus on building a robust and future-ready supplier ecosystem to support the rail and commercial vehicle sectors, both within India and for global markets.
Highlighting India’s strategic importance, Marc Llistosella, CEO of Knorr-Bremse AG, said the country represents a major growth opportunity for the group. He noted that continued success depends on dependable, innovative supplier partnerships that can support long-term expansion, including exports to international markets.
Held under the theme “Procurement in India for the Global Market,” the summit brought together Knorr-Bremse procurement leaders and suppliers across categories such as castings, machined parts, connectors, standard components, and welded assemblies. Discussions focused on shared challenges, quality expectations, and the development of sustainable, long-term collaboration. A central theme was India’s increasing capability to serve as a global manufacturing and sourcing hub.
Strengthening the supplier base in India forms a core element of Knorr-Bremse’s forward-looking strategy. The Rail division has already begun streamlining supplier agreements, improving consistency across contracts, and aligning sourcing practices with evolving customer and market needs. These efforts are intended to support both domestic operations and international growth, while also enhancing resilience and supply security amid shifting geopolitical conditions.
India continues to play a pivotal role in Knorr-Bremse’s global footprint, with operational sites in Chennai, Palwal, and Pune. The company recently launched an artificial intelligence center in Chennai as part of its worldwide digital roadmap and announced plans for a modular campus that will expand production, engineering, and support functions. The campus is expected to create around 3,500 jobs over time. In 2024, Knorr-Bremse’s Rail and Truck divisions together generated approximately €300 million in sales in India.
Knorr-Bremse is the global leader in braking systems and a leading supplier of rail and commercial vehicle technologies. With operations in more than 30 countries and revenues of about €7.9 billion in 2024, the company continues to drive innovation in safety, efficiency, and connected mobility solutions worldwide.
