Editor’s Note
This article highlights a significant shift in Rajasthan’s stone industry, where a decade-long push for import substitution has borne fruit. The growth of indigenous machinery manufacturing in cities like Ajmer, Udaipur, and Jaipur has not only reduced reliance on foreign suppliers but also strengthened the sector’s domestic foundation and cost competitiveness.
Jaipur: The stone industry in Rajasthan made notable strides in reducing reliance on imported cutting and polishing machinery from China, Italy and Turkey over the past decade. Indigenous manufacturing units in Ajmer, Udaipur and Jaipur emerged as key suppliers, enabling the sector to strengthen its domestic base and lower costs.
Industry experts, however, cautioned that the country remains dependent on select high-end technologies due to limited investment in research and development.
At the Stonemart exhibition, exhibitor R Sudarsan said,
Rakesh Gupta, a dimensional stone exporter from Jaipur, highlighted the transformation brought by technology.
Rajasthan, home to India’s largest reserves of marble, granite and sandstone, was one of the states that invested in machine manufacturing. The local manufacturers developed mid-range machinery suited to domestic needs, helping small and medium enterprises cut costs and improve efficiency.
Exhibitors said that without sustained R&D, India risks lagging in next-generation technologies such as automated precision cutting, AI-enabled defect detection and energy-efficient polishing systems. These remain dominated by foreign suppliers, curbing India’s competitiveness in global markets.