FACTORY 4.0 TO 5.0: FROM AUTOMATION TO AUGMENTED INTELLIGENCE

The panel on navigating the transition from Industry 4.0 to 5.0 brought together a diverse group of thought leaders and practitioners, each highlighting opportunities, misconceptions, and actionable strategies for Indian manufacturers.

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As the sunlit room buzzed with the energy of innovators and industrialists, the stage was set for one of the summit's most eagerly awaited discussions: “Factory 4.0 to 5.0: From Automation to Augmented Intelligence.” Led by Pallab De, Partner and Leader of Operations and Manufacturing Consulting at PwC India, the panel featured a diverse group of speakers. This included Ashok Rajpal, Managing Director of Ambrane India; Ankit Jaipuria, Co-Founder of ZYOD; Rupesh Gandupalli, CEO and Co-Founder of XDLINX Space Labs; Mukesh Sinha, Director of OSEL Devices Limited; Manan Chopra, Director of BENZ Packaging; and Preeti Mishra, Director and Head of Business Development at Holosafe Security Labels Pvt. Ltd. Together, they discussed the transition from smart factories to human-centered, sustainable, and resilient manufacturing ecosystems.

Pallab De began the panel by tracing the origins of Industry 4.0 back to Germany's initiative in 2011 and outlined the three key pillars that characterise Industry 5.0: human-centricity, sustainability, and resilience. To set the context for the discussion, he asked a thought-provoking question: How can Industry 5.0 help India achieve its ambitious target of making manufacturing 25 per cent of its GDP by 2030?

Mukesh Sinha, Director at OSEL Devices Limited, acknowledged the challenge and opportunity that lie ahead. “We are currently around 15 per cent contribution from manufacturing. Jumping to 25 per cent is a tall order, but not impossible,” he remarked. Citing India's favourable position as a China-plus-one alternative, he emphasised the strategic role of schemes like PLI and Make in India. “India is already a software leader. Now, the transition from AI (Artificial Intelligence) to IA (Intelligent Automation) must combine tech with skilled human capital.”