Why open automation is India's moment to lead industrial digitalisation

India's diverse industrial landscape and talent pool position it to lead Industry 5.0. Open automation can drive competitiveness, resilience, and sustainable growth

Step onto any modern factory floor today, and you’ll find a dynamic interplay of machines, data, and human ingenuity powering production lines across sectors. But beneath this momentum lies a growing urgency: global supply chains are evolving, energy demands are intensifying, and sustainability is no longer optional — it is essential. The question confronting industries everywhere is no longer about efficiency alone, but about how to build operations that are adaptive, resilient, and sustainable in an increasingly unpredictable world. 

The answer lies in reimagining the very foundations of industrial automation. For too long, automation has been a patchwork of proprietary systems, rigid architectures, and vendor lock-ins that limit innovation and progress. But a quiet revolution is gaining momentum — Open Automation is emerging as the blueprint for the industries of the future. This is not just an incremental upgrade; it’s a fundamental shift from closed, hardware-centric models to open, interoperable, software-defined systems that break down barriers between devices, systems, and vendors. 

 

India’s unique opportunity: Turning complexity into competitive advantage 

For India, this is more than a technological upgrade. It’s a strategic lever to unlock industrial self-reliance, global competitiveness, and inclusive innovation. With a rich engineering talent base, rising digital maturity, and vibrant grassroots innovation, India is uniquely positioned to shape automation models that are agile, scalable, and globally relevant. 

Our diverse landscape, marked by varied infrastructure, decentralised operations, and a multifaceted workforce, presents a distinctive set of opportunities. These complexities drive innovation that is grounded in practical realities, resulting in solutions that are not only adaptable and resilient but also built to perform across geographies. 

Open Automation complements and enhances existing systems by bringing greater openness, interoperability, and intelligence to industrial operations. It empowers businesses to embed flexibility, sustainability, and efficiency at the core of their operations, helping them respond faster to change, optimise resource use, and elevate productivity. In doing so, Indian industries can build on their current strengths while embracing the next wave of industrial transformation, one where software-defined, interoperable systems open new pathways for innovation and long-term growth.

 

Positioning India as a global leader in industry 5.0

 

The broader industrial ecosystem is already signalling readiness. A recent PwC study revealed that 93 per cent of Indian manufacturers are adopting Industry 5.0 principles to enhance profitability and sustainability. However, the same study notes that gaps in automation maturity have cost businesses approximately 4.37 per cent of their FY24 revenues, highlighting a significant opportunity for accelerated action.

 

India is uniquely positioned to lead this transformation. By embracing Open Automation, we can move beyond being a manufacturing hub for global products to becoming a platform powerhouse — exporting not just goods but automation frameworks, digital solutions, and policy models that shape the global industrial future. This is an opportunity to define the blueprint for an Open, Intelligent, and Sustainable Industry.

 

The world is watching: The time to lead is now

 

This is India’s defining moment in industrial digitalisation, a chance not only to transform our factories but to redefine our industrial destiny. It is time to jump off the fence and transform our industries into agile, resilient, and globally competitive ecosystems. According to PwC India, 93 per cent of Indian manufacturers are embracing Industry 5.0 to drive sustainability and boost profitability.

 

Yet, despite this enthusiasm, manufacturers estimate they lost 4.37 per cent of their FY24 revenues due to gaps in automation maturity. This highlights a critical opportunity: Open Automation can eliminate inefficiencies caused by proprietary systems, enable seamless interoperability, and embed intelligence across operations. More importantly, it empowers industries to decarbonise the entire value chain — from production to logistics — by optimising energy use, reducing waste, and integrating renewable energy sources. India has the talent, digital infrastructure, and industrial ambition to lead. What’s needed now is bold execution, cross-sectoral collaboration, and strategic clarity. Let us act decisively to build smarter, greener, and globally competitive industries. The world is watching. The future is open. The time to lead is now. 

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(The author is Zone President–Greater India, MD & CEO, Schneider Electric India)