HMT launches special edition watches, draws 2.5-km-long queue in Bengaluru

Bengaluru witnessed an extraordinary surge in public demand for Hindustan Machine Tools (HMT) watches, with a 2.5-kilometer-long queue forming on Saturday to purchase special-edition timepieces released for India's 80th Independence Day. The iconic HMT watches hold a special place in the hearts of many Indians, particularly in Karnataka.

“

The sight of people standing in a queue for nearly two kilometers to buy HMT watches shows how deeply the popularity and legacy of the HMT brand remain rooted in the hearts of people.

Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel, H.D. Kumaraswamy, who is spearheading efforts to revive the HMT factory, expressed his surprise at the strong public turnout. "The sight of people standing in a queue for nearly two kilometers to buy HMT watches shows how deeply the popularity and legacy of the HMT brand remain rooted in the hearts of people," he stated. The minister added that he was delighted to see people queueing up, recalling that "We all grew up seeing HMT watches." He emphasized his commitment to reviving the factory under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership.

“

We all grew up seeing HMT watches. I am amazed to see that people continue to have such strong affection for these watches even today. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, I am working to revive this factory.

HMT Chairman and Managing Director Ramesh announced that the limited-edition watches, featuring the Tricolour and the Gandaberunda emblem, sold out completely at three outlets in Bengaluru within a day. He assured the public that more watches would be manufactured and released by the end of the following month, with plans to introduce high-quality automatic watches. HMT had ceased its main watch manufacturing operations in 2016 due to heavy financial losses, with a final application to strike off the legal entity filed in January 2026. The company had struggled to adapt to new technologies like quartz, falling behind private brands that entered the market in the late 1980s.

“

More watches will be manufactured and released by the end of next month. We will also introduce high-quality automatic watches for sale.