In an interview, Terrence Miranda, MD of Phillips Machine Tools, shared with TimesTech how the company is fueling India’s emergence as a global manufacturing hub. From enabling defence self-reliance to empowering MSMEs through accessible innovation, Phillips is building a future-ready ecosystem aligned with ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and the ‘China Plus One’ strategy.
Read the full interview here:
TimesTech: India is emerging as a key player under the ‘China Plus One’ strategy. How is Phillips Machine Tools positioning itself to leverage this shift in global manufacturing dynamics?
Terrence: The global manufacturing landscape is undergoing a strategic realignment. The ‘China Plus One’ strategy reflects a clear intent by global companies to diversify supply chains and reduce over-dependence on a single geography. India, with its vast engineering talent pool, improving infrastructure, and supportive policies, is naturally emerging as a formidable contender in this rebalanced ecosystem.
At Phillips Machine Tools, we have been deeply committed to India’s industrial growth for over 15 years well before it became the focal point of global manufacturing conversations. Our long-term vision and sustained investments have positioned us to support this shift effectively.
To further support this transition, Phillips is actively adapting its product offerings to meet the specific needs of global manufacturers. This includes developing cost-effective, high-precision CNC machines tailored for diverse applications, ensuring that our solutions align with the evolving demands of the industry.
Moreover, we have established a strong supply chain model that emphasises local sourcing and rapid deployment capabilities. We ensure faster service and reduced downtime for our clients by maintaining a comprehensive inventory of spare parts and leveraging regional hubs.
Recognising the importance of accessible high-quality materials, Phillips is also investing in a centralised material access plan. This initiative aims to procure materials such as aerospace-grade titanium, thereby reducing costs and lead times for manufacturers across India.
In essence, Phillips Machine Tools is not just responding to the ‘China Plus One’ strategy; we’re proactively shaping India’s role as a primary node in the global manufacturing network. Through strategic product adaptation, efficient supply chain management, and investment in material accessibility, we’re committed to building a resilient and self-reliant manufacturing ecosystem in India. We aim to train 100,000 professionals by 2025. This policy has significantly accelerated both innovation and industrial adoption.
TimesTech: Phillips has played a crucial role in equipping Indian strategic sectors like aerospace, defence, and space technology. Could you share some key success stories or collaborations that showcase this impact?
Terrence: Our role in India’s strategic sectors is deeply rooted in our commitment to technology adoption. We don’t just supply machines, but we enable capability through engineering support, training, and the passionate adoption of meaningful technology.
One example is our work with leading drone manufacturer in North India. They operate over 55 systems supported by Phillips, including the country’s first Markforged FX20 and the world’s largest fleet of Formlabs 3D printers used for drone production. This has allowed them to move to fully in-house UAV manufacturing, which is a significant step toward defence self-reliance.
In the private space sector, we have supported a leading space startup in Chennai, who were working on 3D-printed rocket engines. We helped finance the acquisition of their EOS metal 3D printer, the only one of its kind in India at the time. To ensure they could fully capitalise on the technology, we placed an application engineer on-site to work alongside their team during the early stages.
Our work with ISRO and HAL is a testament to our commitment to uptime, precision, and support readiness. We have provided high-precision machining solutions for applications where reliability and repeatability are critical, further demonstrating our reliability in these sectors.
Across all these engagements, what stands out is our consistent approach. We don’t just deliver equipment. We work closely with partners to ensure that technology translates into real manufacturing capability that supports India’s strategic goals.
TimesTech: With India’s defence exports hitting a record high and government support increasing, how is Phillips contributing to building indigenous manufacturing capabilities aligned with ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’?
Terrence: India’s defence production has reached an all-time high in 2023-2024, surpassing the 1 lakh crore mark, a testament to the growing capability and resolve of the country to become self-reliant. This is not just a milestone, but a mandate to empower Indian manufacturers with the technologies, training, and systems they need to build defence solutions locally at scale, thereby actively contributing to the nation’s defence readiness.
One example is our involvement in setting up a 155mm shell forging line in Pune, where we’re helping bring advanced artillery manufacturing to Indian soil. Traditionally imported, these shells are now being produced domestically with high precision and efficiency, strengthening our defence readiness and industrial depth.
Atmanirbhar Bharat is not just about localisation. It is about creating long-term capability. At Phillips, we’re proud to contribute to this shift by enabling Indian manufacturers to own their processes, compete globally, and lead with confidence in strategic sectors. This focus on long-term capability ensures a secure and self-reliant future for India in the defence sector.
TimesTech: Advanced technologies like Industry 4.0, CNC, and additive manufacturing are rapidly transforming the manufacturing landscape. How is Phillips ensuring Indian industries, especially MSMEs, stay competitive globally through these technologies?
Terrence: The true impact of advanced manufacturing lies in making it accessible. These technologies must be practical and usable for every serious manufacturer, especially India’s MSMEs.
MSMEs, startups, and students use this environment to learn, experiment, and apply new manufacturing methods.
Phillips integrates real-time monitoring, data analytics, and smart control systems into its Industry 4.0 approach. These tools help manufacturers reduce downtime, maintain quality, and use resources more efficiently.
Compact and high-precision CNC machines are made available to support small and mid-sized manufacturers. These are commonly used in part prototyping, low-volume production, and high-mix workflows where accuracy and adaptability are critical.
This model was successfully implemented with the leading Chennai-based space startup. Phillips financed an EOS metal 3D printer, the only one of its kind in India at the time and provided on-site technical support to accelerate adoption.
The technology portfolio also includes additive manufacturing equipment, automation solutions, and cobots. Local service teams ensure these systems are integrated smoothly into existing operations. Many MSMEs use these tools to transition from manual methods to digitally enabled production, especially in tooling, jig fabrication, and component manufacturing.
TimesTech: Skill development is a major challenge in modern manufacturing. How are your training initiatives addressing the industry’s demand for a future-ready workforce?
Terrence: We have always believed that technology is only as effective as the people behind it. This belief led to Phillips Education, a dedicated skilling vertical that bridges the gap between advanced manufacturing technologies and the talent required to operate them.
The initiative focuses on practical training in key areas such as CNC machining, additive manufacturing, automation, robotics, and Industry 4.0 technologies.
Training programs are short-term and structured around a hands-on learning model, with approximately 70 percent of instruction delivered on industrial-grade equipment. These programs are delivered through Centers of Excellence and developed in partnership with state governments, including Uttarakhand, Odisha, and Maharashtra. Discussions to expand this footprint are underway with other states such as Gujarat and Karnataka.
One notable example is our CoE in Uttarakhand; hundreds of students from rural or low-income backgrounds have been trained and placed in prominent manufacturing roles.
In addition to government partnerships, Phillips Education actively partners with companies seeking to build a future-ready workforce aligned to specific industry needs. Programs have been designed and delivered for companies such as JSW Energy to support workforce needs in their renewable energy operations. Training modules typically include technical instruction and soft skills development to ensure workplace readiness.
Our long-term objective is to contribute to a steady pipeline of skilled professionals equipped to support the demands of fast-evolving sectors such as aerospace, electric mobility, defence, semiconductors, and precision engineering. Skilling is integrated into the broader goal of enabling sustainable industrial growth.
TimesTech: You’ve emphasized the mission of ‘Making Technology Affordable.’ How does Phillips balance innovation with accessibility, especially for small and mid-sized manufacturers in India and other emerging markets?
Terrence: Innovation is only effective when it is accessible. Our focus has always been on ensuring that advanced manufacturing technologies are not only cutting-edge but also practical and financially viable for small and mid-sized manufacturers.
To that end, we have developed various cost-effective CNC solutions, including compact mills, flatbed lathes, and surface grinders designed and manufactured in India to meet local requirements. These machines provide an accessible entry point for MSMEs looking to modernise their operations without taking on an unsustainable capital burden.
Affordability also extends to the support ecosystem. We maintain spare parts inventories at our regional hubs to minimise downtime and ensure faster service turnaround. In specific cases, such as with emerging manufacturers adopting complex technologies, we have extended financing support to enable timely access to critical equipment.
One persistent challenge for many smaller manufacturers is access to high-performance raw materials. We are working on a centralised sourcing initiative for aerospace-grade metals like titanium, allowing MSMEs to procure essential materials without excessive overhead or long lead times.
Affordability is not limited to price; it includes the ability to adopt, integrate, and sustain technology. Whether it is a customised automation package, the integration of cobots, or a hybrid manufacturing setup, we tailor our solutions to reflect the operational realities of our customers.
Enabling MSMEs to access reliable and efficient technology strengthens the broader industrial ecosystem. Our responsibility is to ensure that innovation reaches the ground level, where it can drive long-term impact.
