Schaeffler India Ltd has appointed Amit Bhalerao as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective August 10, 2026, with a mandate to lead the company’s manufacturing operations in India and strengthen its operational capabilities.
In his new role, Bhalerao will oversee manufacturing strategy, operational excellence, digital transformation and capability development across Schaeffler India’s operations.
As a member of the company’s executive leadership team, he will work closely with business and functional leaders to shape Schaeffler India’s manufacturing footprint, improve operational performance, accelerate localisation initiatives and build future-ready manufacturing capabilities across its plants.
Focus on manufacturing competitiveness
Bhalerao’s mandate comes as Schaeffler India looks to strengthen its manufacturing competitiveness while keeping customer-centricity and long-term growth at the centre of its operations.
His responsibilities will include driving operational excellence and manufacturing transformation, while leveraging digital technologies to improve efficiency and capabilities across the company’s manufacturing network.
The company said the appointment is also aimed at strengthening its localisation initiatives and developing manufacturing capabilities aligned with evolving customer and market requirements.
Schaeffler India Ltd, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Harsha Kadam, said India continues to be a strategic growth market for Schaeffler and strengthening manufacturing and operations capabilities is central to its growth journey.
Kadam said Bhalerao brings extensive experience in leading complex manufacturing operations, driving operational excellence and building high-performing teams.
His leadership, Kadam added, would further strengthen the company’s manufacturing competitiveness, customer focus and innovation capabilities as Schaeffler India seeks to deliver greater value to customers and stakeholders.
23 years of manufacturing experience
Bhalerao brings more than 23 years of global leadership experience spanning manufacturing, operations, business excellence, lean transformation, quality and supply chain management.
Before joining Schaeffler India, he was Managing Director and Vice President of Operations at Kelvion India, where he led operations and business performance while driving manufacturing excellence, technology transfer and capacity expansion initiatives.
His earlier leadership experience includes roles at Cummins, Eaton and Sterlite Technologies, among other global organisations.
Across these assignments, Bhalerao has focused on lean manufacturing, operational excellence, continuous improvement and strategic transformation.
His appointment comes at a time when manufacturers are increasingly focusing on digitalisation, localisation, supply-chain resilience and operational efficiency to strengthen their competitiveness.
At Schaeffler India, Bhalerao will be responsible for translating these priorities into manufacturing capabilities across the company’s Indian operations while supporting its broader growth agenda.