ANKIROS Istanbul 2026: Can Indian Foundries Win More European OEM Contracts?

As European manufacturers look for competitive sourcing options, India’s foundry industry has an opportunity to move beyond supplying castings on price alone. MFG Magazine’s on-ground reporting from ANKIROS points to a bigger question: can Indian foundries convert international buyer interest into long-term manufacturing contracts?

ISTANBUL, TURKEY | 23 OCTOBER 2026

For European original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), finding a competitive casting supplier is no longer simply a matter of comparing quotations. Component quality, manufacturing consistency, delivery reliability, engineering support and total landed cost all influence sourcing decisions.

At the same time, foundries in India are looking beyond domestic customers for opportunities to supply automotive, industrial machinery, pumps and valves, agricultural equipment, construction machinery and other industrial sectors.

These two developments create an important opportunity for Indian foundries.

At ANKIROS 2026, the international iron-steel, foundry and non-ferrous metallurgy exhibition taking place in Istanbul from 22 to 24 October, the global foundry ecosystem is coming together to discuss technologies, materials, equipment and business partnerships.

For Indian manufacturers, the event is more than a technology exhibition. It is a potential gateway to European procurement networks and new export relationships.

MFG Magazine’s correspondent, reporting from Istanbul, held personal meetings with several OEM representatives attending the event to explore alternative suppliers and more competitive sourcing options. These conversations highlighted a commercially important theme: European manufacturers are interested in evaluating sourcing alternatives, including suppliers from India and China, where the required quality, cost and delivery expectations can be met.

The opportunity for Indian foundries is to turn that interest into qualified business enquiries, sample approvals and ultimately repeat purchase orders.

1. Why ANKIROS matters to Indian foundries

ANKIROS is the 17th International Iron-Steel, Foundry, Non-Ferrous Metallurgy Technologies, Machinery and Products Trade Fair. Held at the Istanbul Expo Center, it brings together foundry operators, steel producers, non-ferrous metal manufacturers, industrial equipment suppliers, engineers and international business visitors.

The event covers a broad range of industrial requirements, including:

Foundry products and casting technologies.
Industrial furnaces and melting equipment.
Moulding, core-making and sand-preparation systems.
Refractories, raw materials and consumables.
Testing, analysis and quality-control equipment.
Metallurgical machinery, process technology and engineering services.

The event’s previous edition in 2024 recorded 1,137 exhibiting companies from 42 countries and 21,069 professional visitors, according to published exhibition statistics.

For an Indian foundry, the value of such an event is not measured only by the number of visitors to a stand. It lies in the opportunity to meet people who influence sourcing decisions, understand their technical requirements and begin a process that could lead to long-term business.

Official event information: ANKIROS 2026 — Istanbul Expo Center

2. What our correspondent heard: European OEMs are exploring sourcing alternatives

One of the most commercially relevant aspects of ANKIROS is the opportunity to speak directly with OEM representatives and understand what they are looking for in their supply chains.

During personal meetings with several OEM representatives at the exhibition, MFG Magazine’s correspondent encountered interest in exploring alternative suppliers offering competitive pricing. India and China are among the manufacturing bases that European buyers may evaluate when assessing potential sourcing options.

These discussions should not be interpreted as confirmed contracts or a claim that every European OEM is shifting its sourcing to Asia. They do, however, illustrate a business-development opportunity worth pursuing.

For a buyer, the attraction of an alternative supplier may include:

A more competitive component price.
Access to additional production capacity.
A second source for an existing component.
Greater flexibility for selected product categories.
Access to specialised casting or machining capabilities.
An opportunity to reassess the total cost of an established supply arrangement.

For Indian foundries, the important next step is to establish which components buyers are willing to source internationally, what technical requirements apply and what commercial conditions must be met.

The most valuable outcome of a meeting at a trade fair is not simply an exchange of business cards. It is a clearly defined next step: a drawing to evaluate, a request for quotation, a supplier questionnaire, a technical review or a sample-development discussion.

3. India already has the scale to compete

India does not need to build its foundry industry from the beginning to pursue these opportunities. The country already has a large and geographically diverse casting ecosystem.

According to the Institute of Indian Foundrymen’s Foundry Informatics Centre, India produced approximately 15.16 million tonnes of castings in FY2023–24, making it the world’s second-largest casting producer. The same source estimated foundry exports at US$4.11 billion for that financial year.

The Indian foundry industry serves multiple end-use sectors, including automotive, industrial machinery, agriculture, railways, pumps, valves, electrical equipment and power.

Source: Institute of Indian Foundrymen — Profile of the Indian Foundry Industry

These capabilities give European buyers a broad supplier base to investigate.

India’s foundry clusters also offer different areas of specialisation. Coimbatore is associated with pump-set castings, Kolhapur and Belgaum with automotive castings, Rajkot with diesel-engine castings, and Batala and Jalandhar with machinery parts and agricultural implements.

This regional specialisation can help buyers identify suppliers with relevant process experience instead of searching for a single foundry capable of manufacturing every type of casting.

However, national production scale does not automatically establish that an individual foundry is suitable for a European OEM. Each supplier must demonstrate that it can manufacture the particular component to specification, maintain consistent quality and deliver economically.

4. India versus China: the real competition is total value

European OEMs evaluating suppliers in India and China are not necessarily choosing between two countries in isolation. They are evaluating individual manufacturers, component capabilities and complete supply arrangements.

China has a large manufacturing ecosystem, extensive component networks and established industrial supply chains. Indian suppliers may compete through a combination of cost, technical expertise, production flexibility and customer responsiveness.

Neither country is automatically the lower-cost or better-quality choice for every casting.

For an OEM, the relevant calculation is the total landed cost of an acceptable component.

That calculation may include:

Casting and machining cost.
Tooling and pattern development.
Inspection, testing and certification.
Packaging and international freight.
Import duties and applicable trade measures.
Inventory and working-capital requirements.
Defect risk, rework and warranty exposure.
Lead times and the cost of production interruptions.

A supplier offering a lower ex-works price may not necessarily deliver the lowest total cost once freight, inspection, rejected components and inventory are included.

Indian foundries should therefore avoid competing exclusively on price. Their commercial proposition should explain how they can deliver the required quality and reliability at a competitive total cost.

For some products, an Indian foundry may offer a strong alternative to an existing European source. For others, a Chinese supplier or the incumbent supplier may remain more competitive. The decision depends on the component, manufacturing process, order volume and customer’s supply-chain requirements.

5. Which castings could offer opportunities for Indian suppliers?

The best opportunities are likely to be product-specific rather than evenly distributed across the entire foundry industry.

Automotive and commercial vehicle components

Automotive OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers require repeatable castings with controlled material properties, dimensional accuracy and reliable delivery.

Depending on the buyer’s requirements, opportunities may include selected engine and transmission components, housings, brackets, structural castings and other machined components.

Suppliers need to demonstrate process capability, traceability, production consistency and the relevant customer-specific quality approvals.

Pumps, valves and fluid-handling equipment

Pump and valve manufacturers require castings suited to their operating pressures, fluids, temperatures and service conditions.

Indian foundries with relevant experience in iron, ductile iron, steel or non-ferrous castings may be able to pursue opportunities in industrial pumps, water systems, process equipment and other fluid-handling applications.

Material specifications, pressure-related requirements, corrosion resistance and machining quality can be decisive.

Agricultural and construction machinery

These markets use a range of structural, mechanical and wear-related castings.

Potential opportunities depend on the equipment design, production volumes, expected service life and the buyer’s qualification process. Foundries should identify specific components where their process capability and cost structure offer a meaningful advantage.

Industrial machinery and heavy engineering

European industrial equipment manufacturers may need housings, machine bases, structural components, gear-related parts and other engineered castings.

For these applications, buyers may place considerable weight on dimensional accuracy, machining capability, documentation, batch consistency and engineering collaboration.

Non-ferrous and specialised castings

Aluminium and other non-ferrous castings may offer opportunities in automotive, electrical equipment, industrial machinery and selected lightweighting applications.

However, the required casting process, tooling investment, material specification and testing regime will vary substantially by component. Foundries should pursue opportunities aligned with their existing capabilities rather than assuming that every growing market is commercially attractive.

6. What European OEMs need to see before approving an Indian foundry

International sourcing is not completed when a buyer expresses interest. It normally involves a technical and commercial qualification process.

For Indian foundries seeking European contracts, the following capabilities can be critical.

Documented quality systems. Buyers may require certification such as ISO 9001 and, for relevant automotive applications, IATF 16949. The applicable requirement depends on the product and customer.

Process capability and traceability. The supplier should be able to demonstrate control over raw materials, melting, moulding, heat treatment where applicable, machining and inspection.

Metallurgical validation. Chemical composition, mechanical properties, microstructure and non-destructive testing may be required according to the component specification.

Dimensional inspection. Buyers may request inspection reports, capability studies, measurement-system evidence and validation of critical dimensions.

Production and delivery discipline. An OEM needs confidence that the supplier can meet the agreed production schedule consistently—not just produce an acceptable first sample.

Engineering responsiveness. Timely responses to drawings, design changes, process questions and corrective actions can make a significant difference during qualification.

Commercial transparency. Quotes should specify tooling costs, component pricing, packaging, lead times, minimum order quantities, payment terms and any assumptions that could affect the final price.

European customers may also assess environmental performance, workplace practices, material origin, cybersecurity and other compliance requirements relevant to their industry and product.

A foundry that prepares these documents before approaching buyers can make the first conversation substantially more productive.

7. From an exhibition meeting to an export contract: a practical route

For Indian foundries, the commercial value of ANKIROS will depend on what happens after the exhibition.

Step 1: Identify a defined sourcing requirement

A general conversation about buying castings is a starting point, not a qualified opportunity. The supplier needs to understand the component, material, annual volume, manufacturing process, machining requirements and delivery location.

Step 2: Establish the buying process

Find out whether the OEM buys directly or through a Tier-1 supplier, purchasing office or approved sourcing partner. Determine who is responsible for procurement, engineering approval and supplier quality.

Step 3: Submit a technically complete capability profile

The profile should identify the foundry’s casting processes, alloys, component-weight range, machining capacity, inspection facilities, quality certifications and relevant export experience.

It should also provide representative component examples, while respecting any confidentiality obligations to existing customers.

Step 4: Evaluate drawings and calculate the real commercial offer

The foundry should confirm manufacturability, tooling requirements, production capacity, testing costs and delivery timelines before quoting.

A competitive offer must remain profitable after accounting for freight, packaging, working capital, quality risks and the cost of meeting the buyer’s specifications.

Step 5: Move towards samples and qualification

If the OEM sees a potential fit, the next stage may include a supplier questionnaire, technical review, sample production, testing, process audit and approval.

These stages can take time. The foundry should agree on clear milestones and maintain communication throughout the process.

Step 6: Develop a repeatable export relationship

The long-term objective is not simply to win a one-time order. It is to become a reliable supplier whose quality, delivery and responsiveness justify continued business.

Once a component is approved and production stabilises, the relationship may create opportunities for additional parts, related product families or other facilities within the buyer’s organisation.

8. The opportunity is real—but suppliers must be selective

India’s foundry industry has significant production capacity and a wide range of technical capabilities. International exhibitions such as ANKIROS can help suppliers reach buyers who might otherwise be difficult to approach.

But export growth is not guaranteed by attending an exhibition, nor does every discussion lead to an RFQ.

Foundries should prioritise opportunities where the component fits their capabilities, the buyer has a credible requirement, the commercial terms are workable and the qualification process is achievable.

They should also assess the risks of dependence on a single customer, foreign-exchange movements, freight disruptions, changing trade rules and extended payment cycles.

The strongest export strategy combines targeted customer selection with disciplined technical and commercial execution.

9. What should Indian foundries do next?

For the next 90 days, foundries interested in European OEM business can focus on three priorities.

First, build a target-account list. Identify European OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers and industrial-equipment manufacturers whose products use castings that match your capabilities.

Second, prepare for technical scrutiny. Organise drawings, material specifications, process information, certifications, inspection reports, capacity details and sample-development procedures so that the company can respond quickly to a serious enquiry.

Third, follow up with a defined commercial action. Every promising meeting should lead to a next step: a technical discussion, a drawing review, a request for quotation, supplier registration or sample proposal.

The goal is to turn international interest into measurable pipeline progress and, eventually, qualified export orders.

Conclusion: Istanbul can open the door, but Indian foundries must earn the contract

ANKIROS 2026 brings together an international network of foundry, steel and metallurgy businesses at a time when manufacturers continue to evaluate their sourcing options.

MFG Magazine’s correspondent meetings with OEM representatives exploring alternative suppliers underline an important commercial possibility: Indian foundries should actively pursue international customers rather than rely only on established domestic relationships.

India’s existing casting scale, specialised regional clusters and engineering capabilities provide a foundation. Winning European contracts, however, will depend on the individual supplier’s ability to deliver the right component, meet technical requirements, compete on total landed cost and maintain dependable delivery.

For Indian foundries, the next opportunity is not merely to sell castings abroad. It is to become a qualified, trusted and repeat supplier to global manufacturing companies.

The exhibition may create the introduction. Preparation, technical credibility and disciplined follow-up will determine whether that introduction becomes a contract.

Sources and further reading

Editorial note: The correspondent’s meetings and observations are reported as first-hand field reporting. No OEM names or direct quotations have been included because they have not been provided for publication. The sourcing interest described should not be interpreted as a confirmed purchase order or a commitment by any specific company.