Mr Dilip Sawhney
Chairman, CII Conference on AI and Automation; Managing Director
Rockwell Automation India Pvt. Ltd.
EventConcludedIn-Person
Conference on AI and Automation
Reimagining Manufacturing through AI-Powered Automation for Competitive Advantage
20 Aug 2026New Delhi2:30 pm – 4:45 pmManufacturing
Overview
Reimagining Manufacturing through AI-Powered Automation for Competitive Advantage
Under the aegis of the CII 3rd Edition of the Manufacturing Conclave 2026, CII organised the Conference on AI and Automation to highlight the growing role of artificial intelligence and intelligent automation in redefining the future of manufacturing.
AI is moving beyond individual applications to become a strategic enabler of smarter operations, faster decision-making, greater productivity, enhanced quality and safety, and more resilient and sustainable manufacturing ecosystems. Rapid advances in industrial AI, robotics, connected systems and data-driven technologies provide Indian manufacturers with significant opportunities to strengthen competitiveness, optimise resources, develop new capabilities and integrate more deeply with global value chains.
The conference examined how AI and intelligent automation are reshaping manufacturing operations through predictive maintenance, autonomous welding, digital factories, connected metrology, intelligent safety systems, quality assurance, anomaly detection, process optimisation, energy efficiency, inventory management, logistics management and AI-enabled supply- chain management.
Discussions emphasised that successful adoption requires more than isolated automation projects. Manufacturers must redesign processes around intelligent, predictive, self-learning and increasingly autonomous systems while creating effective data-to-decision pipelines. Technology adoption must remain focused on measurable business outcomes and people-centric transformation.
Closer collaboration among industry, government, academia, startups and technology providers was identified as essential for strengthening digital infrastructure, workforce readiness, innovation partnerships, standards, policy support, cybersecurity, data governance and responsible AI adoption. These efforts will support India’s manufacturing competitiveness and its vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Key insights
Conference Insights and Takeaways
Conference sessions
3
Panel discussions
2
Industry speakers
9
Primary focus
AI-powered manufacturing
Clusters covered
Industrial AI and intelligent automationPredictive and autonomous manufacturingData-driven decision-makingWorkforce transformation and AI skillingCybersecurity and responsible AIManufacturing ecosystem collaborationMSME technology adoption
Main Takeaways
- AI and intelligent automation can improve manufacturing productivity, quality, safety, efficiency, resilience and decision-making.
- Manufacturers should move beyond isolated task automation and redesign processes around intelligent, predictive and increasingly autonomous systems.
- Industrial data must be converted into actionable intelligence through reliable and effective data-to-decision pipelines.
- AI adoption should remain connected to measurable business outcomes instead of being treated as a technology-only initiative.
- Operational excellence, workforce capability, data quality, cybersecurity, indigenous technologies and sustainability must develop alongside AI adoption.
- Collaboration among industry, government, academia, startups and technology providers is essential for accelerating responsible AI adoption at scale.
- MSMEs require accessible digital infrastructure, workforce development, standards, policy support and scalable solutions to participate in AI-led manufacturing growth.
Programme
Conference Agenda
- 13:30–14:30· NetworkingRegistration and Networking Lunch
- 14:30–15:15· Inaugural SessionReimagining Manufacturing through AI-Powered Automation for Competitive Advantage
- 15:15–16:00· Panel DiscussionReshaping Manufacturing through AI and Intelligent Automation
- 16:00–16:45· Panel DiscussionBuilding the AI-Ready Manufacturing Ecosystem
- 16:45 onwards· NetworkingNetworking Tea and End of Conference
Industry leaders
Conference Speakers
Mr Mandar Sahasrabudhe
Group Chief Technology Officer
Kirloskar Group
Dr Pankaj Kumar Dalela
Executive Vice President
Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT)
Mr Ravi Raghavan
Co-Chairman, CII National Committee on Capital Goods and Engineering; Managing Director
Bharat Fritz Werner Ltd.
Mr Animesh Srivastava
Senior Vice President and Head of Technology
Moglix
Mr Allwyn Lewis
Head, Business Development and Marketing, Heavy Engineering Division
Larsen and Toubro Ltd.
Mr Gaurav Mehrotra
Senior Director
Hughes Systique Corporation
Mr Sanjeev Sehgal
Founder and Managing Director
Sparsh Securitech Pvt. Ltd.
Mr Sagar Bhosale
National Sales Head
OMRON Automation Pvt. Ltd.
Discussion tracks
Conference Tracks
Industrial Transformation
The evolving role of AI in industrial transformation
Industry 4.0
Emerging trends in intelligent automation and Industry 4.0
Global Competitiveness
Global best practices and India’s roadmap for AI-enabled manufacturing
Leadership
Leadership perspectives on building future-ready enterprises
Workforce
Workforce transformation and AI skilling
Responsible AI
Cybersecurity, data governance and responsible AI adoption
Policy
Government initiatives, standards and policy support
Collaboration
Collaboration among industry, academia, startups and technology providers
Why it matters
Strategic Outcomes
- Strengthen manufacturing competitiveness through smarter operations, faster decision-making and measurable productivity improvements.
- Apply AI to predictive maintenance, quality assurance, anomaly detection, process optimisation, energy efficiency, safety, logistics and supply-chain resilience.
- Build connected and future-ready manufacturing systems by integrating industrial AI, automation, robotics, Industrial IoT and data analytics.
- Develop workforce capabilities through AI skilling, reskilling and people-centric transformation.
- Create strong data governance, cybersecurity and responsible AI practices before scaling intelligent automation.
- Accelerate adoption through collaboration among manufacturers, technology providers, academia, startups and government.
- Enable MSMEs to adopt affordable and scalable AI solutions that support sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
Gallery
Photo Gallery
