Unveiling the path to India's Industry 4.0 transformation

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Manufacturing Innovation Conclave, held in New Delhi, marked a pivotal moment in India's journey towards Industry 4.0. The event, attended by industry luminaries and thought leaders, explored the convergence of innovation and security in the rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape.

The CII conducted a successful manufacturing and innovation conclave to discuss the role of Industry 4.0 and other new-age technologies in manufacturing. On September 26, 2023, the event took place at Hotel Taj Mahal, Mansingh Road, New Delhi, with Efficient Manufacturing Magazine as the media partner. Dignitaries and visionaries attended.

The welcome and opening remarks were given by Kishore Jayaraman, Conclave Chairman and President, India & South Asia, Rolls-Royce. The theme introduction was given by Shridhar Kamath, Partner, Consulting Deloitte India. The address for the event was made by Tarun Mishra Founder, Covacsis India; Salil Gupte, Chairman CII National Committee on Aerospace and President, Boeing India, and Madhav Singhania, Deputy Chairman, CII (Northern Region) and Deputy Managing Director & CEO, J K Cement. The inaugural address was given by the Guest of Honour, G Narendra Nath, Joint Secretary, National Security Council Secretariat Government of India.

In the opening remarks, Nath underscored the imperative role of security as a fundamental requirement for innovation. He set the tone for a day filled with insightful discussions and called for the development of capabilities that drive innovation while ensuring security remains at the forefront.

As a concept, Industry 4.0 witnessed significant growth in India and is becoming mainstream. Although organisations are adopting industry 4.0 practices, such as predictive maintenance, 3D printing and connected operations, progress varies amongst industries. ‘Industry 4.0: Learn and Propel; a whitepaper co-authored by CII and Deloitte India was also released at the Manufacturing Innovation Conclave 2023. This paper explores how organisations can overcome the challenges and fuel growth and advancement.