India's engineering services exports surged nearly eightfold to USD 13.8 billion in a decade, according to a NITI Aayog report that cites Reserve Bank of India data on invisibles. The report, India's Services Sector: Insights on Regulatory Regime in Professional Services, recorded a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 22.8 per cent over the ten-year period.
Engineering services exports recorded a CAGR of 22.8 per cent during the ten-year period, according to the NITI Aayog report.
Export and Import Trends
The report shows a widening gap between exports and imports of engineering services. While exports grew at a CAGR of 22.8 per cent, imports remained largely stable, rising from USD 1.59 billion in 2014-15 to USD 1.73 billion in 2024-25 — a CAGR of just 0.9 per cent.
| Metric | Value | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Engineering services exports | USD 13.8 billion (nearly eightfold surge) | Ten years ending 2024-25 |
| Export CAGR | 22.8% | 2014-15 to 2024-25 |
| Engineering services imports | USD 1.59 billion to USD 1.73 billion | 2014-15 to 2024-25 |
| Import CAGR | 0.9% | 2014-15 to 2024-25 |
| Engineering share of technical degrees | 67.2% | 2015 to 2022 |
Engineering Employment and Education
According to the India Employment Report 2024, cited by NITI Aayog, engineering accounted for 67.2 per cent of all technical degrees awarded between 2015 and 2022. The report describes engineering as a significant employment-generating profession in India, a position reinforced by the sector's expanding export footprint.
Regulatory Gaps
Despite that growth, the report flagged the absence of a comprehensive regulatory framework governing the engineering profession in India, unlike professions such as architecture and medicine. NITI Aayog suggested establishing a central statutory framework for engineers engaged in construction and infrastructure-related activities.
Such a framework would be particularly important in areas involving public safety, the report said, and could:
- improve structural safety,
- strengthen public confidence, and
- support the professionalisation of engineering services in India.
Architects and Engineers as Allied Professionals
The report also suggested recognising architects and engineers as allied professionals to provide regulatory clarity in areas where their work overlaps. Citing Singapore's regulatory model, NITI Aayog said recognising the two as allied professionals could allow them to operate within their respective areas of expertise while also undertaking overlapping activities, without blurring their distinct professional responsibilities.
The report's import figures span 2014-15 to 2024-25, while the export CAGR is reported for the same ten-year period.
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