Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) is the largest power equipment manufacturer in India, and its generating sets account for nearly 65 percent of India's power generating capacity. BHEL is also one of the world's top six producers in the power sector. The company was founded in 1956 in Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) and today includes 18 regional offices, 14 manufacturing divisions, and four power sector centers. BHEL employs nearly 47,000 personnel and produces a wide range of power sector industrial goods including valves, generators, pumps, boilers, and turbines. This equipment is utilized for coal, gas, nuclear, and hydel power plants. Due to BHEL's involvement in the Indian nuclear sector, the company was targeted for U.S. sanctions following the May 1998 nuclear tests.

BHEL currently accounts for $1.6 billion in annual sales. In addition to power sector equipment, BHEL also manufactures locomotives for Indian Railways, valves for oil exploration, pollution control equipment, and industrial sector boilers.