China's licensing of tunnel boring machines puts Indian projects at risk

According to the state-run Global Times, the Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs have added several items to the dual-use list. They include full-face TBMs and their parts, and walking excavators able to clear obstacles higher than 1.2 metres. Also listed are high-altitude wet shotcrete machines rated above 75 kW and designed for elevations over 3,000 metres. Under the rule, exports to countries and regions in dispute with China require a licence. A ministry spokesperson said the controls protect national security and that compliant applications will be approved.

In India the controls bear directly on the infrastructure timetable. Business Today reports that India depends heavily on imported machinery for underground construction. In September 2025 Philipp Ackermann, Germany's ambassador in New Delhi, said at least 3 Herrenknecht TBMs made in China and bound for India were being held by Chinese customs. PSU Watch lists metro networks, high-speed rail corridors, Himalayan border tunnels and port expansions among the projects at risk. The ministry also set thresholds the same day for dredger pumps and cutter heads.

The timing follows a draft China published on 16 October proposing new restrictions across 14 technology areas. No up-to-date official data showing China's share of India's TBM imports could be found. Which projects will be affected, and to what extent, could not be verified. Herrenknecht had already decided to set up production in India to reduce its reliance on China.