New Delhi, Nov. 13 -- India's next big manufacturing push may come from an unlikely corner-the construction site.

After years of watching cheaper Chinese machinery dominate the market, the government is now considering a safeguard duty on heavy cranes and crawlers, along with sales-linked incentives to nudge local manufacturers to ramp up production.

According to two officials aware of the matter, the ministry of heavy industries (MHI) is working on a plan to reduce import dependence in a market worth billions, just as demand for construction and infrastructure equipment surges across India.

This assumes significance as India's $8.55 billion construction equipment market continues to rely heavily on imports-particularly from China-desp...