The third edition of India Inc On The Move (IIOTM) event concluded with praise for India from Scott Wooldridge, President of Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific, who said he thought India would become a ‘global smart manufacturing hub’.

Rockwell Automation is the global leader in industrial automation and digital transformation. The IIOTM event brings experts from across technology and business to discuss India’s role in uplifting smart manufacturing.

Smart manufacturing is the future of the industry in India

Over 500 people joined the IIOTM in person and more than 3,000 were present virtually. 

Topics discussed ranged from how to solve manufacturing challenges to uplifting self-reliance, digital twins and future-proofing the industry. 

"Technology has played a critical role in driving India's economic growth in the past decade,” said Scott Wooldridge, President of Rockwell Automation Asia Pacific. “By further accelerating its adoption of digital technologies within the manufacturing industry, India has an opportunity to emerge as a self-reliant nation and a global smart manufacturing hub."

"Organisations that approach digital transformation not by fixating on acquiring new technologies but rather on unlocking different ways of doing business will emerge as winners,” agreed Dilip Sawhney, Managing Director, Rockwell Automation India. “Digital transformation is a high-stakes commitment, so it's important for companies to select the right technology partners that can help implement their vision, mitigate risks, and provide a roadmap to success."

"The only way forward for Indian manufacturing is to adapt to smart manufacturing,” said Shri Arun Goel, Secretary, Ministry of Heavy Industries, Government of India. “In the past four decades, India has established a strong foothold in the IT and manufacturing industries, and technology will continue to be a key component in industry 4.0. When we talk about disruptive technology, we need to develop the best quality manufacturing to match global standards and make it cost-competitive globally so that exports can be positively impacted. Hence, we are nudging the industry to achieve advanced standards through smart manufacturing and look forward to strengthening the sector to newer heights."

Smart manufacturing technology solves biggest challenges

This is not the first time Rockwell Automation has praised the manufacturing sector in Asia. 

Plex Systems, a part of the Rockwell Automation company, shared the results of The State of Smart Manufacturing Report in July.

The report shows that over 2021, smart manufacturing usage increased by 50% across the world and that this technology is now solving the manufacturing industry's toughest challenges.

"The adoption of smart manufacturing solutions, such as cloud-based technologies, has become imperative for APAC organisations to stay competitive and thrive,” said Steven Chiu, Asia-Pacific sales leader, Plex Systems. “The report findings show that organisations in the region are placing significant value on using such technologies to address and improve actual business outcomes."