**Summary:**
In response to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 3837, answered on August 12, 2025, by the Minister of State for Heavy Industries, Shri Bhupathiraju Srinivasa Varma, the Ministry of Heavy Industries addressed inquiries regarding the potential revival and modernization of HMT Limited, specifically its watch division. The response indicated that the Government has no plans to revive or modernize HMT Watches Limited (HMTWL). The operations of HMTWL, a subsidiary of HMT Ltd, were closed following approval from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on January 6, 2016. Currently, HMT Limited is undertaking limited assembly and sales of watches, utilizing existing inventory of parts and spares transferred from HMTWL. This limited operation relies on in-house dial designs. No collaborations with private designers or technology firms are being explored to enhance the appeal of HMT watches.
Key Entities Referenced
HMT Limited: A public sector undertaking, formerly known as Hindustan Machine Tools Limited, which had a watch division.
HMT Watch Division: The watch manufacturing division of HMT Limited.
SHRI M K RAGHAVAN: Member of Parliament who posed the question in Lok Sabha.
HEAVY INDUSTRIES: The concerned ministry responsible for HMT Limited.
SHRI BHUPATHIRAJU SRINIVASA VARMA: The Minister of State for Heavy Industries who provided the answer to the question.
HMT Watches Limited (HMTWL): A subsidiary of HMT Ltd that was closed.
Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA): A committee of the Union Cabinet that approved the closure of HMT Watches Limited.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where the question was raised.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF HEAVY INDUSTRIES
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3837
ANSWERED ON 12.08.2025
REVIVAL AND MODERNISATION OF HMT WATCH DIVISION
3837. SHRI M K RAGHAVAN:
Will the Minister of HEAVY INDUSTRIES be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has any plan to revive and modernise HMT Limited, especially its
watch division;
(b) if so, the details of the steps taken to update HMT’s watch designs in line with modern market
trends;
(c) whether any collaborations with private designers or technology firms are being explored to
enhance the appeal of HMT watches; and
(d) if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR HEAVY INDUSTRIES
(SHRI BHUPATHIRAJU SRINIVASA VARMA)
(a) to (d): No. Operations of HMT Watches Limited (HMTWL), a subsidiary of HMT Ltd,
were closed in pursuance of the approval of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs
(CCEA), in its meeting held on 06.01.2016. However, HMT Limited is pursing limited assembly
and sales of watches on a limited scale based on in-house design of dials by using the stocks /
inventory of watches parts and spares transferred to it from the HMT Watches Limited at the
time of closure of its operations.
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