19DECEMBER, 2025Biswajit Bhattacharya, Lead Client Partner & Automotive Industry Leader - India & South Asia, IBM Consulting, shares insights with Industry Outlook on how the nation is harnessing the power of digitalization and automation to reshape its industrial future. He discusses the strategic rise of technologies like AI, IIoT, and generative AI, and how these tools are redefining production, optimizing systems, and enabling smart factories. As India stakes its claim as a global manufacturing powerhouse, Sharma highlights the role of policy, people, and process in driving this transformation, while also acknowledging the complexities that come with such a seismic shift. His vision is clear: India's manufacturing sector isn't just catching up--it's leading the charge toward a smarter, more sustainable, and innovation-driven future.INDUSTRY INSIGHTSAI-POWERED INDUSTRY 4.0: REDEFINING THE FUTURE OF MANUFACTURING OPSIndia's manufacturing sector is at a tipping point driven by the twin forces of digitalization and automation. The nation is rapidly emerging as the world's most promising manufacturing hub, fuelled by cost-effective production, policy-driven momentum, the capacity to manufacture high-quality products at scale, and shifting geopolitical landscape. A surge in domestic demand and continuous flow of foreign direct investment (FDI) further amplify this growth, positioning India as a global powerhouse in industrial innovation. At the heart of this transformation are cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), and data analytics, which are redefining production, optimizing supply chains, and enabling predictive maintenance. Of late, generative AI (GenAI) is set to be the ultimate game-changer ­ revolutionizing operations, accelerating innovation, and empowering manufacturers to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive global landscape. With bold initiatives like the National Manufacturing Policy and Make in India, the Indian government aims to propel the sector's GDP contribution from 17 percent to 25 percent by 2025, laying the foundation for Industry 5.0 and a future where India leads the world in smart manufacturing. Complexities Ahead Despite its growth potential, the sector has its own set of complications. Unpredictable demand, raw material shortages, and logistical bottlenecks hinder production leading to supply chain disruptions. Then, lack of clean, structured and application-specific data often leads to quality control issues. The sector also faces high operational costs due to inefficient processes and unplanned downtime. Lack of AI expertise and technical training can slow down adoption Biswajit Bhattacharya, Lead Client Partner & Automotive Industry Leader - India & South Asia, IBM ConsultingBiswajit Bhattacharya, Lead Client Partner & Automotive Industry Leader - India & South Asia,
< Page 9 | Page 11 >