Amit Bhalerao as Chief Operating Officer- Schaeffler
Pune, India — Schaeffler India Limited has appointed Amit Bhalerao as Chief Operating Officer (COO), effective August 10, 2026. In his new role, Bhalerao will lead the company’s manufacturing operations across India, with a focus on operational excellence, manufacturing strategy, digital transformation and capability development.
As a member of Schaeffler India’s Executive Leadership Team, Bhalerao will work closely with business and functional leaders to shape the company’s manufacturing footprint, improve operational performance, accelerate localisation initiatives and develop future-ready manufacturing capabilities across its plants.
Welcoming Bhalerao to the leadership team, Harsha Kadam, Managing Director & Chief Executive Officer, Schaeffler India Limited, said that India remains a strategic growth market for the company and that strengthening manufacturing and operations capabilities is central to its growth strategy.
“India continues to be a strategic growth market for Schaeffler, and strengthening our manufacturing and operations capabilities is central to our journey as the leading Motion Technology Company. Amit brings extensive experience in leading complex manufacturing operations, driving operational excellence and building high-performing teams. His leadership will further enhance our manufacturing competitiveness, customer focus and innovation capabilities as we continue delivering greater value to our customers and stakeholders. We wish Amit the very best and many successes in his journey at Schaeffler in India. “, – Harsha Kadam
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 served as Managing Director and Vice President of Operations at Kelvion India, where he was responsible for operations and business performance, while driving manufacturing excellence, technology transfer and capacity expansion initiatives. Earlier in his career, he held leadership positions at Cummins, Eaton, Sterlite Technologies and other global organisations, where he focused on lean manufacturing, continuous improvement, operational excellence and strategic transformation.
Amit Bhalerao’s appointment comes as Schaeffler continues to expand and strengthen its manufacturing and engineering capabilities in India. The company operates five manufacturing plants in Talegaon, Savli, Maneja, Hosur and Shoolagiri, supported by three R&D centres and five sales offices.
With more than 60 years of presence in India and a workforce of over 3,800 employees, Schaeffler India provides motion technology solutions across the automotive and industrial sectors. Its portfolio includes bearing solutions, linear guidance systems, repair and monitoring services, as well as technologies supporting electric mobility, CO₂-efficient drives, chassis applications and renewable energy.
At the global level, the Schaeffler Group employs around 110,000 people across more than 250 locations in 55 countries. The company’s latest leadership appointment is expected to further align its Indian manufacturing operations with its broader focus on digitalisation, localisation, sustainability and advanced manufacturing.
With Bhalerao taking charge as COO, Schaeffler India aims to further strengthen manufacturing competitiveness and build capabilities that support its long-term growth and customer-focused strategy in the Indian market.
News source: Schaeffler India
