KONE’s plan to introduce a one-week elevator modernisation programme in India highlights a problem that is easy to overlook in the country’s vertical growth: the performance of existing buildings may become as important as the construction of new ones. With an estimated installed base of nearly one million elevators, India is entering a phase in which lifts are not only equipment inside buildings but essential urban infrastructure connecting residents to homes, workplaces and public-facing services.
The proposal, discussed by KONE Corporation President and CEO Philippe Delorme in an interview with The Hindu BusinessLine, is aimed particularly at suitable elevators in buildings of up to about 10 floors. The company says its standardised solution can complete essential upgrades in one week, although not every installation will qualify. KONE intends to introduce the offering in India in the coming weeks.
That timeline matters because elevator modernisation is constrained by a practical question that is rarely visible in construction statistics: how long can a building function without its only lift? Delorme pointed to six- to 10-storey residential buildings with a single elevator, where a shutdown lasting five weeks can be especially difficult for elderly residents and people with mobility challenges. A shorter upgrade period does not remove the need for technical assessment, but it changes the operational challenge for residents and housing managers.
The issue is becoming more important as India’s building stock becomes more vertical. KONE describes the domestic elevator market as relatively young, but says demand for modernising equipment installed during the earlier phases of market growth is beginning to emerge. The company’s estimate of nearly one million installed elevators provides the scale of the potential market, although the interview does not specify how many lifts require replacement, partial upgrading or routine maintenance.
This distinction is important. Modernisation is not the same as installing a new elevator. It can involve upgrading controls, safety systems, drive equipment, connectivity and other components while retaining parts of the existing installation. The precise scope depends on the age, design and condition of each lift. KONE’s proposed one-week programme is therefore presented as a solution for suitable projects rather than a universal timeline for India’s installed base.
For residents, the central question is not the size of the elevator industry but the reliability of the system inside their building. In a high-rise or mid-rise development, a lift failure can make upper floors difficult to access and can affect deliveries, domestic workers, medical visits and emergency response. The disruption is more severe in buildings with only one elevator, where there is no alternative passenger lift during a shutdown.
The interview also places elevator modernisation within a broader change in the way building equipment is managed. Delorme identified digital transformation as KONE’s biggest priority for the next five years, linking digital technology to safety, predictive maintenance and customer experience. The company’s Digital Experience Center in Pune is described as an important milestone for demonstrating these capabilities to customers.
The significance of this shift lies in the movement from reactive repairs towards information-led maintenance. The supplied interview does not provide performance data on predictive maintenance or quantify the reduction in breakdowns that digital systems could deliver. It does, however, show that elevator manufacturers increasingly view the installed base as a continuing service and technology market rather than a one-time sales opportunity.
That business model is closely connected to the structure of Indian housing. Residential construction remains a major demand driver, according to KONE, while buildings are becoming taller and creating demand for higher-speed elevators. The company says it is established in high-rise and mid-rise buildings in major cities, but is also expanding its geographical presence in the next 20 cities, particularly in low-rise and mid-rise developments.
This expansion beyond the largest metros changes the geography of vertical urbanisation. India’s building growth is not limited to a small group of established metropolitan centres. As residential development spreads into the next tier of cities, the need for elevator installation, maintenance, component supply and modernisation also moves outward. The interview does not identify the cities involved or provide a city-by-city market breakdown, but it makes clear that KONE sees demand beyond the traditional high-rise markets.
The company is also targeting different segments of the residential market. Its portfolio includes Villa 100 for premium residential properties, reflecting a market that extends from large apartment towers to individual villas. That range illustrates how elevator demand is becoming embedded across diverse forms of development, even though the technical and service requirements of a high-rise building and a luxury villa may be very different.
The institutional challenge is that elevators sit between building construction, equipment manufacturing, safety oversight and day-to-day housing management. Developers typically determine the original equipment installed in a new project, while building owners, housing societies or facility managers are responsible for maintenance and decisions about upgrades once the property is occupied. The interview does not set out India’s regulatory responsibilities or a national modernisation framework, so it cannot establish how consistently these decisions are made across states and cities.
It does point to a structural gap in the way urban infrastructure is usually discussed. Roads, metro systems, water networks and power supply are treated as city-scale infrastructure. Elevators are generally classified as building equipment, despite their role in making dense housing accessible and functional. For residents of taller buildings, the distinction is largely irrelevant when a lift is unavailable. The building may remain structurally sound, but its effective access system has failed.
The accessibility implications are particularly clear in older residential buildings. KONE’s reference to elderly residents and people with mobility challenges places modernisation within a wider question about whether vertical housing remains usable throughout residents’ lives. An elevator that operates unreliably, or a prolonged shutdown without an alternative, can turn a nominally accessible home into a difficult or isolated one.
The interview also links India’s urban market to manufacturing and export capacity. KONE has invested around ₹450 crore in its Sriperumbudur manufacturing facility near Chennai, which the company identifies as one of its four principal manufacturing locations globally. The plant primarily serves India, but the company also wants to increase export capacity. Manufacturing, technology and innovation remain central to its stated development plans in the country.
This creates a connection between domestic building demand and industrial policy. The elevator market is not only about imported or locally assembled equipment reaching construction sites. It also involves manufacturing capacity, supply chains, engineering, software, maintenance networks and the ability to service equipment over its operating life. KONE’s stated intention to expand exports from India suggests that the country is being positioned as both a demand centre and a production base, although the interview does not provide export figures or future investment commitments through FY2030.
The proposed acquisition of TK Elevator adds another institutional dimension. KONE and TK Elevator have announced their intention to combine in a proposed transaction valued at €29.4 billion, but the deal has not closed. Delorme said regulatory approvals are required in India, Europe and the United States, with KONE planning for a possible closing in 2027, potentially towards the latter part of that year. Until approvals are obtained, the two companies continue to compete.
For India, the immediate implication is that no change in market structure can be assumed. TK Elevator has operations in the country, and KONE said it would examine combining those operations if the transaction receives the necessary approvals. The interview does not establish what the outcome would mean for customers, employees, suppliers or competition. Those questions remain dependent on regulatory review and the eventual terms of any approved transaction.
KONE also declined to comment on its market share in individual countries, while saying it is one of the leaders in India and aims for leadership. The company attributed its position to safety, customer satisfaction and innovation. These are corporate claims rather than independent market measurements, but they indicate the competitive themes the company is using to position itself as the market moves from new installations towards long-term service and modernisation.
The available evidence therefore shows three connected developments. First, India’s installed elevator base is becoming large enough for modernisation to emerge as a major commercial opportunity. Second, residential growth is spreading vertically and geographically, increasing demand for lifts in both major metros and the next 20 cities identified by KONE. Third, manufacturers are placing greater emphasis on digital systems, service continuity and lifecycle management.
What remains unclear is how much of the installed base is approaching modernisation, how building owners will finance upgrades, what standards will determine technical eligibility for rapid retrofits and how state-level regulation will shape implementation. The interview also does not establish whether a one-week intervention will be available beyond KONE’s own suitable projects or how the programme will be assessed after launch.
The larger urban question is whether India’s building systems can keep pace with the vertical expansion of its housing stock. New towers receive attention because they are visible symbols of growth. Existing lifts are less visible, but their condition can determine whether older apartments remain liveable, accessible and connected to the city around them. KONE’s strategy does not answer the regulatory or affordability questions, but it signals that elevator modernisation is moving from a specialised maintenance issue towards a more important part of India’s urban infrastructure conversation.
