India’s power electronics landscape is undergoing a massive transformation, driven by an engineering community that is increasingly demanding the freedom to design rather than just assemble. At electronica India 2026, Niloy Banerjee, Group Editor of The Volt Post (TVP), sat down with Karsten Bier, CEO of RECOM Power, and Harry Gu, MD of RECOM Asia, to understand their evolving India strategy. They discussed RECOM’s expansion from finished power modules into discrete power ICs, and what this critical shift toward localized manufacturing means for the region’s engineering ecosystem.
Also, you can watch the full video interview on The Volt Post’s YouTube channel, Coffee Club With The Volt (#CCTV).
(YouTube Link) This video features the RECOM leadership team at the same event discussing their strategic shift from modular units to pre-matched discrete power ICs, providing excellent supplemental context to the interview.
RECOM is expanding beyond its established power converters portfolio into power ICs, transformers, and discrete solutions. What is driving this strategic shift, and what does it mean for the company’s growth ambitions?
We originally came from the power supply side, which is essentially a transformer plus an IC. Traditionally, our customer base buys finished solutions.
However, we recognized a significant and growing engineering community in India, and we want to provide them the opportunity to create their own designs.
By offering our experience and our core components to this community, we are empowering them to build their own tailored systems.
How do RECOM’s new power IC and transformer solutions complement your existing AC-DC and DC-DC power systems?
For every power module we have, we are trying to offer an equivalent discrete IC and transformer solution.
We cannot do this for every single product, we currently have around 30,000 different products in our portfolio but we are starting with a DC-DC portfolio ranging from 1 watt up to 10 watts, and scaling up to 60 watts.
By 2027, we will also launch our first AC-DC ICs for discrete solutions. Our modular portfolio will still be substantially larger than the discrete side, but it is a highly complementary addition to our offerings.
You are offering pre-tested IC and transformer combinations. How does this approach simplify power supply design and reduce development time for engineers?
We have been module specialists for the past 20 to 30 years. Offering pre-tested ICs means we are taking proven components from our existing designs and making it easier for customers to integrate them.
We are sharing our long-standing experience by providing key components like ICs and transformers, which allows engineers to experiment reliably.
Historically, it has been difficult for engineers in India to source magnetic components, which usually come from China. Now, we are providing pre-tested transformers for local engineers to use directly in their designs, drastically speeding up the development process and making it much more efficient.
What applications represent the strongest growth opportunities for RECOM’s power IC and discrete solutions in the Indian market?
We are seeing several market segments growing rapidly in India. The first is definitely EVs and energy storage. These markets, along with solar and renewable energy, are crucial right now.
The broader infrastructure like power grids, needs rapid modernization to support EVs and battery storage. Additionally, AI server-related markets are growing substantially.
RECOM’s IC and transformer solutions play a critical role across all these segments. Infrastructure in general is a massive focus in India, including railway and military applications, where we are seeing tremendous demand.
What shifts are you seeing in customer requirements for power electronics in India?
India is a highly specific market. Pricing is tough, and customers are exceptionally price-sensitive. However, because they have such a vast pool of engineers, they possess strong in-house design capabilities and are quite technically demanding.
Our IC and transformer solutions elevate our service to meet the needs of Indian customers who require fast, cost-effective solutions. We often deal with high volumes and face strict competition from Chinese manufacturers.
Traditionally, RECOM has represented high-quality, reliable modules for high-end industries, but we are now seeing a shift in decision-making. Designs are increasingly being finalized in India, backed by a strong push for local R&D and local procurement.
Just how important is the India Global Growth Strategy for RECOM?
India is an emerging market with massive potential. There is a robust electronics ecosystem here. Decision-making is now happening locally, and products are being designed here for the global market. This is a key reason we want to manufacture our products in India, to support the local engineering community in creating exceptional products for both domestic and export markets.
Looking ahead, which technologies and product areas will be the biggest priorities for RECOM as you expand your portfolio?
From a technology perspective, infrastructure is key. Every year, we see continuous improvements in India’s infrastructure, and technologies in the railway and energy sectors that optimize this growth are essential.
Military applications are also a high priority for the Indian government. Moving forward, our portfolio will focus heavily on battery management systems and factory optimization, among other areas.
Furthermore, the semiconductor sector is central to innovation. It is vital for India to develop its own IC infrastructure, and with our ICs, we can support the engineering community by providing the ideal semiconductors, transformers, and magnetics they need to build it.
What message do you want customers and partners visiting RECOM at electronica India to take away?
First, that you will meet some highly qualified, great people at our booth. Exhibitions are ultimately about value-added information, and our engineers are here to assist the community.
Visitors should leave our booth with a clear sense of value. We want them to see that at RECOM, they can access exactly what they need: from power modules to discrete solutions.
