Schaeffler is aggressively working on strategies to enhance its presence in the Indian market where one of the focus areas is to turn challenges into opportunities.

The Germany-headquartered auto component maker will increase its basket of localised products and offer more economical solutions in the process.

"One of the things Schaeffler India has been doing over the last few years is localising more products in India and reducing our dependency on imports. This will keep us closer to the market and respond faster," Micah Shepard, President of Vehicle Lifetime Solutions Asia Pacific, told ETAuto during the recently concluded Bharat Mobility Global Expo 2025 in Delhi.

India contributes approximately 30-35% of Schaeffler’s Asia-Pacific revenue, making it one of the fastest growing markets. He said localisation was progressing at a good pace.

Schaeffler India, which operates out of Pune as its HQ, deals in advanced mobility solutions. The Delhi event saw it showcase a slew of advanced technologies, including the 3-in-1 electric axle, high-voltage axle drive (EMR4), sensors, controls, and actuator solutions from Vitesco Technologies which provides electronic solutions.

A party of the Indian landscape for five decades, Schaeffler plans to venture into various fuel technologies including electrification, hydrogen, flex-fuel and the internal combustion engine (ICE) which, according to Sharad Bhatia, President of Vehicle Lifetime Solutions India, is expected to remain dominant in the coming years,

He said India would see a "strong mix" of ICE (including flex-fuels), hybrids and EVs for the next 8-10 years. Customer preference, he added, would still be in favour of ICE.

“We are ready to support the EV platform, not only from parts but also with service solutions from the backend,” he explained. The company’s electrification journey has been "pretty good," and it will explore other options such as hydrogen.

The key, however, is to keep costs in check for the mass market. "Schaeffler can cover hydrogen, EV, and ICE technologies, not only for passenger vehicles but also for two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and tractors," said Shepard.

This shift will call for upskilling of human resources and availability of different components at stores which, in turn, means a robust logistics system needs to be in place. Schaeffler is combining its “global expertise with local engineering” to deliver effective products.

Aftermarket growth

The integration of the B2B e-commerce platform, Koovers with Vitesco Technologies is a critical part of Schaeffler India’s aftermarket growth. Through Koovers, the company has expanded its reach to workshops across India supported by a strong logistics and supply chain network.

“Our repair and service solutions from the Vehicle Lifetime Solutions division offer value across the entire vehicle lifecycle, empowering customers and supporting India’s sustainable mobility goals,” Bhatia added.