- White Paper Concept on AI-MET charts national roadmap for embedding artificial intelligence across manufacturing value chains
- Strategic NAMTECH convening unites MIT, IIT Madras, and global technology leaders to accelerate India’s industrial transformation
- Industry–academia–government alliance targets productivity, sustainability, workforce readiness, and global competitiveness
- AI adoption across MSMEs and shop floors identified as critical driver for Viksit Bharat @2047 and decarbonised industrial growth
- Leaders emphasise talent acceleration, cybersecurity resilience, and application-driven AI deployment to future-proof India’s MET ecosystem
NE SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY BUREAU
NEW DELHI, FEB 20
In a decisive push to position India as a global manufacturing powerhouse powered by artificial intelligence, Ashwini Vaishnaw outlined a bold national roadmap for integrating AI into Manufacturing Engineering Technology (MET), declaring that India must leverage AI to emerge as a major global manufacturer of precision equipment.
The strategic convening, held at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and curated by NAMTECH under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), brought together global academic leaders, policymakers, and top industry executives to align India’s AI priorities with its manufacturing ambitions and the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.
A major milestone of the summit was the launch of the White Paper Concept on “AI for Manufacturing Engineering Technology (AI-MET),” which outlines a comprehensive national framework for responsible, scalable, and inclusive AI adoption across India’s industrial ecosystem.
AI-MET White Paper: Blueprint for India’s Intelligent Manufacturing Future
The AI-MET White Paper Concept establishes a strategic pathway for embedding artificial intelligence across manufacturing operations, engineering systems, and industrial value chains to drive productivity, sustainability, and global competitiveness.
The framework envisions coordinated collaboration between industry, academia, and government to accelerate AI adoption, enhance workforce capabilities, and enable India’s transition into a technologically advanced manufacturing leader.
The MET platform, convened and catalysed by NAMTECH, is designed to function as a shared governance and execution model, placing manufacturing at the core of India’s accelerated economic growth and decarbonisation strategy.
Ashwini Vaishnaw: AI is Foundational to India’s Manufacturing and Innovation Leadership
Speaking at the summit, Ashwini Vaishnaw said: “Artificial intelligence is a foundational pillar in India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat. By integrating AI across Manufacturing Engineering Technology, we can enhance productivity, strengthen competitiveness, and unlock new opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship. Our focus is on building an inclusive AI ecosystem that empowers enterprises and MSMEs alike, while preparing India’s workforce for the future. Initiatives such as the AI-MET White Paper reflect the kind of collaborative, mission-driven approach needed to translate technological capability into outcomes on the ground. I am happy that NAMTECH has taken the lead in convening industry, academia and policymakers towards this shared national objective. My request to NAMTECH would be to use this opportunity to develop the next level of talent that can enable India to emerge as a major manufacturer of precision equipment.”
His punchline underscored the central goal: leveraging AI to transform India into a globally competitive, precision manufacturing powerhouse driven by skilled talent and innovation.
Global Academic Leaders Emphasise Transition from AI Capability to Real-World Application
Eric Grimson, Chancellor for Academic Advancement, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said: “The next phase of India’s AI journey will be defined by its ability to move from capability to application – embedding AI across industry, enterprises and MSMEs, investing in skills at scale, and ensuring that innovation remains inclusive. This requires sustained collaboration across academia, industry and government to build systems that can translate research and technology into real-world outcomes.”
The summit saw participation from leading academic institutions including MIT and IIT Madras, reinforcing the importance of research-industry integration.
Industry Leaders Stress Shop-Floor Deployment, Workforce Skilling, and Secure Infrastructure
Pravin Panchagnula, Executive Director – Manufacturing & Conglomerates, Microsoft India, remarked: “The impact of AI in India’s industrial sectors will be determined by its deployment on the shop floor and across complex engineering systems. Enabling adoption among MSMEs, alongside targeted skilling and upskilling of the workforce, will be essential for building resilient and globally competitive manufacturing value chains.”
Vinod Karumampoyil, Director – Digital Transformation, Cisco India, added: “As AI becomes integral to modern manufacturing, building strong application-oriented skills across the workforce is essential. Closer collaboration between industry and academic institutions will be key to ensuring that talent is prepared to deploy AI responsibly and at scale, strengthening productivity and competitiveness across India’s manufacturing ecosystem.”
Swapna Bapat, Managing Director & Vice President – India & SAARC, Palo Alto Networks, said: “In the landscape of cybersecurity and IT, poorly designed Operational Technology (OT) poses a significant risk. Designing a secure, enterprise-grade network requires three critical elements. As AI becomes a cornerstone of modern manufacturing, we must prioritize building application-oriented skills across the workforce. Our goal is to bridge the gap between education and industry, bringing modern network security principles into schools to ensure students are ready for immediate workplace deployment.”
Dilip Sawhney, Managing Director – India, Rockwell Automation, added:
“For India’s manufacturing sector, the real impact of AI will be realised when it is integrated into industrial automation systems and deployed at scale across production environments. Bridging the gap between digital innovation and shop-floor execution requires strong collaboration between industry, academia and government. Initiatives such as this create the ecosystem needed to accelerate adoption, strengthen workforce capability, and enhance the global competitiveness of India’s manufacturing value chains.”
NAMTECH Leads Talent and Ecosystem Transformation for AI-Driven Manufacturing
Ibrahim Hafeezur Rehman, Operating Director General & CEO, NAMTECH, emphasised the importance of workforce readiness and application-driven education, stating:
“By grounding education in real-world industrial contexts, NAMTECH aims to show how application-oriented learning can enable day-zero deployment of talent into production environments. Through the MET Platform and partnerships with industry and academia, this approach can help shape scalable models for preparing the workforce for India’s Manufacturing Engineering Technology transformation.”
Summit Reinforces India’s Position as Emerging Global Leader in AI-Powered Manufacturing
The convening marked a significant step in aligning India’s technological capabilities with its industrial ambitions, bringing together leaders from Microsoft, Cisco, Hitachi, Tata Electronics, Rockwell Automation, Palo Alto Networks, Intel, Dell Technologies, and PayPal, alongside leading academic institutions.
By launching the AI-MET White Paper Concept and fostering deep industry-academia collaboration, India is laying the foundation for a future where AI drives productivity, sustainability, innovation, and global leadership in manufacturing.
The summit signalled a clear message: India’s path to becoming a global precision manufacturing powerhouse will be powered by artificial intelligence, talent, and collaborative innovation.
