“Balancing Digital Transformation with Legacy Demands in Manufacturing”

...says Sanjay Mittal, Senior Partner and Industrial Sector Leader, IBM Consulting India & South Asia, in conversation with Kaushal Dighavkar. He shares how IBM Consulting is helping manufacturers modernise legacy systems, harness Al, build global partnerships, and embed sustainability into their operations.

- 

Q How is IBM Consulting enabling industrial clients in India and South Asia to adopt digital transformation while managing legacy infrastructure and operational demands?

The Indian manufacturing space has undergone a significant transformation in the past decade due to various factors like the pandemic, evolving customer preferences, geopolitical shifts, and rapid technological advancements. Adopting digital transformation in the manufacturing process is no longer an option but essential for maintaining competitiveness & profitability. At IBM Consulting, we help manufacturers scale by creating tailored Industry 4.0 roadmaps by managing legacy infrastructure, prioritising existing OT investments, improving performance metrics, and integrating advanced shop floor technologies on open platforms. Further, we have been instrumental in supporting both government and private sectors by incubating AI Centres of Excellence, Quantum Labs, and skill development programs, addressing challenges in supply chain, logistics, and network optimisation. With the help of platforms like watsonx, we embed AI in predictive maintenance, process optimisation, quality control, and functional domains, boosting efficiency and agility. With a strong focus on Responsible AI, we ensure compliance, fairness, transparency, and data privacy, enabling manufacturers to scale sustainably, strengthen “Made in India” and “Viksit Bharat” goals, and compete globally while balancing innovation with operational demands.