Bharat Forge Navigates Global Headwinds, Defence Orders Provide Strong Tailwind in FY2025

Bharat Forge

Bharat Forge, one of India’s leading automotive component suppliers, has demonstrated resilience in its standalone financial performance for the fourth quarter and full fiscal year 2025, navigating global headwinds while capitalising on robust growth in its defence sector business.  The company showcased a steady performance despite challenges in certain international markets.

For Q4 FY2025, Bharat Forge recorded standalone revenues of INR 21 billion, with an EBITDA of INR 6 billion, translating to a healthy EBITDA margin of 29.1 percent. The company also reported a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of INR 4.9 billion.

For FY2025, Bharat Forge reported standalone revenues of INR 88 billion, a marginal dip of 1.4 percent compared to the INR 89 billion recorded in FY2024. Despite this slight decrease in revenue, the company managed to improve its profitability, with EBITDA at INR 25 billion (EBITDA margin of 28.5 percent) and PBT at INR 19 billion, both showing a marginal improvement compared to the previous fiscal year. The company also highlighted a strong balance sheet with cash on books of INR 26 billion.

The company stated that FY25 Revenues remained flat despite weakness in European CVs, mixed performance in export PV business. Oil & Gas recouped from the lows of FY24 while Defence displayed steady growth.

At a consolidated level, Bharat Forge reported revenues of INR 15.1 billion in FY2025, remaining relatively flat compared to the INR 15.6 billion in FY24. However, the company saw a significant improvement in consolidated EBITDA margins, rising from 16.4 percent to 18.2 percent.

A significant highlight of the year was the strong order inflow, particularly in the defence sector. During Q4 FY25, the company secured new orders worth INR 43 billion, including a substantial INR 34 billion towards the ATAGS order. As of March 2025, the defence order book stood at a robust INR 94 billion. For the entire fiscal year, the Bharat Forge group secured new orders worth INR 69 billion, with the defence sector accounting for an impressive 70 percent of these new wins.

The company also highlighted the strong performance of its ferrous castings business, which witnessed significant growth with revenues increasing by 23 percent, EBITDA by 35 percent, and a doubling of profits compared to FY2024. Key return ratios for this segment exceeded 20 percent.

Looking ahead to FY2026, Bharat Forge outlined its strategic focus on improving consolidated profitability through several internal actions. These include reducing losses in the e-mobility vertical, evaluating options for the steel business in Europe, improving operational performance in the aluminium business, leveraging North American manufacturing footprint and focusing on new business wins across traditional forgings, defence, aerospace and castings. The company also anticipates the integration of the AAM India business in FY2026, which is expected to further enhance its product portfolio and presence in the Indian market.

Wiring Harness

Dhoot Transmission has filed its Updated Draft Red Herring Prospectus - 1 (UDRHP - 1) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) for an initial public offering (IPO). The company, backed by Bain Capital, operates in the electrical and electronics component manufacturing sector.

The public offer comprises a fresh issue of equity shares with a face value of INR 2 each, aggregating up to INR 14 billion, alongside an offer for sale of up to 16,310,733 equity shares. Under the offer for sale, BC Asia Investments XV will divest up to 13,191,900 equity shares and Mangalam Capital will offer 31,18,833 equity shares.

Net proceeds from the fresh issue are scheduled for deployment across FY2027 and FY2028.

The company aims to utilise INR 4.93 billion for the repayment or prepayment of borrowings, and INR 2.72 billion for debt clearance within its subsidiaries, which include Dhoot Auto Components, Dhoot Electricals Systems, Dhoot Automotive Systems and Dhoot Transmission UK.

Furthermore, INR 1.50 billion is allocated to build manufacturing plants in Jhajjar, Haryana and Shoolagiri, Hosur, Tamil Nadu, with the remaining capital intended for acquisitions and corporate purposes.

Established in 1999, the firm is promoted by Rahul Radhavallabh Dhoot and BC Asia Investments XV, the latter having acquired a 49 percent stake in April 2025. Dhoot Transmission manufactures wiring harnesses, electronics sensors, switches and connectors for automotive and industrial clients.

In FY2025, the company held a 44.64 percent share of the Indian two-wheeler and three-wheeler wiring harness market by value, and over 70 percent of the electric variant market in the same category. Its customer base includes Bajaj Auto, TVS Motor Company, Honda Motorcycle and Scooter India and Royal Enfield, serving 477 clients in the nine months ending 31 December 2025.

As of December 2025, the company’s infrastructure consisted of 22 manufacturing facilities, three design centres and seven warehouses, with four additional plants under construction in India.

Financial records show revenue from operations increased from INR 21.25 billion in FY2023 to INR 34.44 billion in FY2025. During the same period, profit after tax rose from INR 1.63 billion to INR 3.53 billion, and EBITDA grew from INR 2.98 billion to INR 5.90 billion. Wiring harnesses generated INR 26.87 billion, representing 78 percent of total revenue in FY2025. Domestic sales in India accounted for approximately 90 percent of total revenue, whilst electric vehicle segments increased their revenue contribution from 8.05 percent in FY2023 to 25.2 percent in FY2025.

Minda Corp Reports INR 3.58 Billion Net Profit In FY2026

Spark Minda

Minda Corporation, the flagship company of Spark Minda, has announced its financial results for Q4 FY2026 and FY2026.

The company reported its highest-ever consolidated revenue of INR 61.85 billion, up 22.3 percent YoY, EBITDA of INR 7.21 billion and a profit after tax of INR 3.58 billion, with a margin of 5.8 percent.

For Q4 FY2026, the revenue was the highest-ever for a quarter at INR 17.04 billion, up 29 percent YoY, EBITDA of INR 2.03 billion and a net profit of INR 1.24 billion, with a margin of 7.3 percent.

The company attributed the robust growth to a strong product portfolio, an expanding customer base and a focus on product premiumisation.

In FY2026, Minda Corporation strengthened its position as a leading automotive supplier with two strategic global partnerships: Toyodenso Co, Japan, for the manufacturing and sale of advanced automotive switches, and a JV with Turntide Technologies, UK, for next-generation powertrain solutions for the electric vehicle industry.

The idea is to localise globally proven technologies for its customers in India, while offering premium solutions to meet domestic requirements.

Ashok Minda, Chairman and Group CEO, Spark Minda, said, “FY2026 was a year of consistent execution and steady progress for Minda Corporation. Despite a dynamic market environment, we delivered stable growth supported by demand across key vehicle segments, particularly in the 2W and CV categories. Policy measures such as GST rationalisation and the ‘Make in India’ initiative supported cost efficiency and improved affordability. We continued to invest in R&D and technology partnerships to strengthen our product offerings. Our focus remains on operational efficiency, customer relationships and disciplined financial management, as we work towards sustaining growth and creating long-term value for all stakeholders”.

Bosch Secures Major Electric Motor Contract From Mercedes-Benz

Bosch - e-powertrain

German technology company Bosch has received a major contract from Mercedes-Benz to supply electric motors into the 2030s for the premium carmaker’s next generation of electric powertrains.

The announcement follows a strong operational period in 2025 during which Bosch secured more than 70 e-mobility customer projects globally. The supplier currently provides electric vehicle technology and solutions to more than 50 automotive manufacturers worldwide.

The e-motors are built on a scalable platform architecture, allowing the length of the motor to be adjusted depending on the required power output. This flexibility permits integration into various vehicle models and axle variants.

Bosch claims its motors achieve up to 98 percent efficiency due to updated winding technology. The units utilise an innovative rotor oil cooling system to optimise heat dissipation. The compact design combines high efficiency and optimised cooling to reduce overall weight, installation space, and system costs.

The German tier 1 supplier targets the production of more than 7 million components for electric vehicles in 2026, with an existing manufacturing rate of approximately seven electric motors per minute globally.

For the Indian market Bosch has formed a joint venture with TataAutoComp Systems to develop, commercialise and manufacture e-axles specifically for the domestic market.

In China, Bosch serves more than 30 customers, working with almost all domestic car manufacturers alongside international brands operating in the region.

The company's portfolio spans from silicon carbide chips to complete powertrain setups, including ‘X-in-1’ solutions that bundle the electric motor, power electronics, transmission and energy management into a single system.

Markus Heyn, Member of the Bosch Board of Management and Chairman of Bosch Mobility, said, “The new order reaffirms our long-standing partnership with Mercedes-Benz and shows that we can successfully contribute our expertise to technologically demanding projects as well. We win over customers with our core competence of being able to develop and manufacture complex technology in large quantities with significant economies of scale worldwide. We deliver electric-driving solutions to all markets around the world.”

Marco Zehe, President of Bosch’s Electrified Motion division, added, “We already work with almost all Chinese car manufacturers, as well as with numerous international automakers operating in China.”

Emobi Announces AKX Electric Two-Wheeler Featuring Musashi e-Axle Technology

Musashi e-Axle

Bengaluru-based electric vehicle start-up Emobi has announced that its upcoming model, the AKX, will be powered by the e-axle EV drive unit developed by Musashi Seimitsu Industry. This marks the second collaboration between the two companies, following the launch of the Kyari model in November 2025.

The partnership aims to address the specific demands of India’s electric two-wheeler and last-mile mobility sectors. The integration of Musashi’s e-Axle technology is designed to improve vehicle acceleration, torque and overall efficiency, providing performance that is competitive with internal combustion engine vehicles.

Naoya Nishimura, CEO, Musashi India & Africa Regions, said, “At Musashi, we are focused on developing next-generation mobility technologies that address the evolving needs of electric transportation. We are pleased to strengthen our collaboration with Emobi through the AKX, which is the second model to integrate our e-axle technology. India’s EV ecosystem presents significant opportunities, and we believe our e-axle solution can help enable performance, efficiency and a smoother riding experience tailored to the requirements of Indian consumers.”

Musashi’s e-Axle utilises proprietary reduction gear technology, drawing on the company's experience in transmission manufacturing.

The drive unit will come with high pick-up torque and smooth acceleration. It will be designed to provide quiet operation and reliability for urban and commercial use. It is said to be engineered for real-world Indian riding conditions.

Bharath Rao, CEO and Co-Founder, Emobi, added, “AKX has been designed with the needs of India’s electric mobility market in mind. The integration of Musashi’s e-axle technology enhances the vehicle’s acceleration, torque and overall riding experience, while staying focused on efficiency and reliability. This collaboration reflects our commitment toward building EV solutions that are practical, high-performing and ready for real-world Indian conditions.”