Context
China has announced new export licensing restrictions on Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs), effective November 18, raising concerns over delays in India’s infrastructure projects. The restrictions could particularly affect the Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor, which includes an undersea tunnel.
Explanation
- A Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) is a large mechanical device used to excavate underground tunnels through soil and rock.
- It uses a rotating cutterhead to break the ground while supporting the surrounding tunnel structure, reducing the risk of collapse.
- TBMs are widely used in metro rail, railway, highway, water supply and sewerage projects.
- Unlike conventional drilling and blasting, TBMs enable continuous excavation with relatively less vibration and disturbance to surrounding structures.
- India’s 508-km Mumbai–Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Corridor includes a 7-km undersea tunnel section.
- China’s restrictions require exporters to obtain licences under its dual-use export control regulations.
- Dual-use goods are technologies or equipment that can serve both civilian and military purposes.
- These restrictions highlight India’s dependence on imported tunnelling technology and the need for domestic manufacturing and supply-chain diversification.
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