
The first All India Machine Tool Exhibition (AIMTEX) was held from 14 to 21 December 1969 at Godrej & Boyce’s newly built plant in Vikhroli, Bombay. It was the first industrial exhibition of its kind in India and reflected the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ strong commitment to creating a platform that would develop the Indian machine tool industry to compete with international standards.
The exhibition in its inaugural form was a bold move for a new industry, as there hadn’t been an industrial exhibition displaying live equipment until then. AIMTEX, which was later renamed IMTEX, was first organised at a time when the demand for machine tools was beginning to show signs of recovery, along with the increasing need for information among India's investor community.
Highlights of IMTEX 2025
IMTEX, A Leading global machine tool show with over 50 years of legacy, offers prime opportunities for business growth and industry connections.

5
Halls

1,100
Exhibitors

133,166
visitor

Over eight days, more than 50,000 people visited IMTEX 1969, a result of meticulous planning, consistent effort, and unparalleled dedication by the exhibition organising committee and the Indian Machine Tool Manufacturers’ Association (IMTMA). The live displays were ideal for quick buyer decisions, and the event concluded with an unprecedented number of business enquiries and orders.
The next edition of IMTEX was in 1972, a year when IMTMA completed 25 years, and the focus was on advancements made by Indian manufacturers in the field of design and diversification. The exhibition boosted the sales and export prospects of the Indian machine tool industry enormously. After a three-year gap, the next edition was held in 1975, by which time IMTEX had gained traction as an established brand. By the time of the 1979 edition, everyone from the manufacturing fraternity was well-versed with the show.
Moving into the 1980s, IMTEX started attracting foreign players in larger numbers, with many foreign visitors in the editions held in 1982 and 1986, generating larger revenues. IMTEX 1989 was a landmark one as the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi inaugurated the show, which drew a record 2,00,000 visitors and the exhibition completed 20 years in Bombay.
The exhibition was coming of age, and the need for a bigger venue became a reality. IMTEX moved to New Delhi in 1992, as the Indian economy had opened up, and proximity to the Central Government and policy-making bodies became significantly important for IMTEX. True to expectation, IMTEX held in New Delhi during the 1990s and in 2001 attracted great fanfare – from the industry, Government, academia, foreign embassies and business entities, economic organisations and more. IMTEX outgrew its venue and returned home to Bombay (Mumbai) in 2004.
The need for a dedicated venue to host IMTEX led IMTMA think-tanks to establish the Bangalore International Exhibition Centre (BIEC) in Bengaluru. Since many machine tool manufacturers were based in southern and western India, BIEC, situated in Bengaluru, was ideal for them. IMTEX was first held in 2007 at the newly built venue in Bengaluru, which has since become its natural home. With both metal cutting and metal forming segments growing, there was a need to organise shows with a complete focus on these segments, which led to the split of IMTEX in 2009, with IMTEX focusing on metal cutting held every odd years and IMTEX FORMING focusing on metal forming held in every even years, alternatively.
IMTEX celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2019 and had grown into a significant technology trade fair that showcased additive manufacturing and Industry 4.0, reflecting the evolving trends necessary to boost manufacturing growth. Undoubtedly, the pandemic that followed shortly after IMTEX FORMING, held in 2020, posed a major challenge for the manufacturing community, but the show recovered robustly after a two-year hiatus. The most recent edition of IMTEX, Tooltech & Digital Manufacturing, held in January 2025 with 1,100 exhibitors from 23 countries and 133,166 visitors from 70 nations, was a great success.
