TRANSFORMATIVE ROLE OF TECHNOLOGY IN THE INDIAN PROCUREMENT LANDSCAPE

Once the most overlooked function, procurement has emerged as India's strategic advantage in mining, construction, and infrastructure. The shift from reactive buying to predictive, Al-driven decision-making is redefining speed, cost, and sustainability.

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Procurement has long been the hidden hero, or villain, of success in India's mining, construction, and infrastructure sectors, where billion-dollar projects ascend amidst tightening schedules and environmental scrutiny.

Last-minute scrambles or reactive ordering based on intuition are no longer effective. Rather, a radical change is taking place. Procurement is becoming a cost-controlling scalpel, a sustainability shield, and an efficiency crystal ball thanks to digital technologies. Veterans of the sector are at the forefront of the nation's procurement scene, which is booming with automation and digitization, which is expected to simplify operations across intricate supply chains by 2025. According to PwC's 2025 Digital Trends in Operations Survey, 68 percent of executives now believe that Al is essential to robust supply chains, as it enables real-time decision-making that reduces waste and increases profits. A recent discussion among industry pioneers revealed that this isn't just hype. It is happening right now and transforming the way raw materials are transported from mine to site.

The conventional approach of procurement involves teams gathering to determine needs from various departments before placing orders, or reorder points and Kanban cards that determine when to refill. Anto Sebastian, Director and CEO of Jaws Tech Engineering & Wearlay Pvt Ltd, a Kerala-based innovator in mining wear solutions, recalls this era with a mix of nostalgia and relief. "In the past, procurement relied on reorder points and Kanban systems, or accumulating details from preventive maintenance and purchase teams before executing buys," he says. "But now, with real-time data gathering and Al, we predict requirements precisely—how much and when. For our screening panels, chute liners, and conveyor scrapers, these tools make wear patterns predictable, turning procurement into a smart, proactive force that avoids costly standstills."