THE OPEN AUTOMATION MOVEMENT

How Schneider Electric is powering India's industrial future with Open, Software-Defined Automation

- By Sujatha Vishnuraj

India's industrial landscape is undergoing a transformative shift, propelled by the vision of Industry 5.0 and bolstered by strategic government initiatives. Manufacturing currently contributes 17% to India's GDP and is projected to reach USD 1 trillion by FY26, positioning the nation as a fast-emerging global manufacturing hub. This momentum, however, is tempered by significant productivity gaps and fragmented digital adoption, highlighting a vast untapped opportunity. To meet evolving market demands and scale globally, Indian industries must accelerate their adoption of digitalisation and automation.

As India advances toward becoming a global manufacturing powerhouse, the urgency for flexible, efficient, and scalable systems has never been greater. Industrial automation emerges as a critical lever driving operational efficiency, reducing emissions, and enabling agile, scalable production environments. These next-generation solutions are essential to unlocking higher productivity, consistent quality and lower energy consumption and carbon emissions.

At the forefront of this revolution is Schneider Electric, paving the way with a secure, interoperable, open, software-defined approach—laying the foundation for the industries of the future in India. This vision empowers India Inc. to modernize at scale, enhance competitiveness, and lead on the global stage.

The strategic imperative: Automation as the engine of Futuristic India

For a nation charting its path toward becoming a $7 trillion economy and achieving the vision of becoming a developed nation, the role of industrial automation is not merely operational—it is strategic. Deepak Sharma, Zone President Greater India, MD & CEO, Schneider Electric India (SEIPL), emphasises this point with clear conviction.