Advancing Agricultural Mechanisation for a Viksit Bharat: Integrating Innovation, Inclusivity, and Sustainability

Abstract

Introduction Agriculture remains central to India’s economy, employing 46% of the workforce and accounting 20% of the country’s GDP. It must support a growing population on limited land, while also improving rural incomes and sustainability. Modern agricultural mechanisation, the substitution of human and animal labour by machines at all stages of farming, is therefore critical to India’s development. Historically, Indian farmers used manual tools and animaldrawn ploughs; only in the post-Green Revolution era did mechanisation begin in earnest. Today, India is one of the world’s largest farm-machine markets valued at US$16.73 billion in 2024, projected to $25.15 billion by 2029, reflecting rising demand as incomes and cropping intensity grow. Yet only about half of farm operations are mechanised, far below levels in many countries. Addressing this gap is a policy priority under the “Viksit Bharat” vision: improved mechanisation can raise yields, reduce drudgery, use inputs more efficiently, and boost farmers’ incomes.