The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recently released the draft National Strategy on Robotics, which is aimed at improving the availability of funding in the ecosystem, enhancing research and development (R&D), and funding “moonshot projects” for innovation. This strategy has assumed significance with India charting a roadmap to become a global front-runner in the fields of artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics. It is a comprehensive document that outlines clear objectives, addresses critical challenges hindering growth and provides strategic recommendations to navigate these roadblocks. It also builds upon the mandates of the Make in India 2.0 plan, which identifies robotics as one of the 27 subsectors necessary to enhance the country’s integration into the global value chain.
A look at the key aspects discussed in the draft strategy…
Current scenario
India has made significant strides in the area of robotics, with a focus on developing and harnessing the potential of cutting-edge technologies to promote sustainable and inclusive development across the country. The latest data from the International Federation of Robotics shows that robotics installations in India surged by 54 per cent to 4,945 units in 2021. As per the World Robotics Report 2022, the country boasts the 10th highest annual installation of industrial robots in the world. The long-term potential of robotics in India is significant as a catalyst for revolutionising industries, driving inclusive growth and improving the standard of living.
Government initiatives
The government has taken several initiatives in recent years to propel the development of robotics in India. The major initiatives highlighted in the draft strategy are:
Make-in-India robots
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), under the Ministry of Defence, has developed the remotely operated vehicle “Daksha”, an automated mobile platform for multi-purpose payloads. It can be deployed to handle improvised explosive devices and is currently being utilised by the Indian Army. Meanwhile, the Indian Space Research Organisation has launched “Vyommitra”, a spacefaring humanoid robot built to function onboard the Gaganyaan, a crewed orbital spacecraft. “Manav”, made by Delhi-based A-SET Training and Research Institute, is India’s first 3D-printed humanoid robot.
R&D centres
The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, has launched the AI and Robotics Technology Park (ARTPARK) through a public-private collaborative consortium with a seed funding of Rs 2.3 billion. ARTPARK-IISc has received approval from the Ministry of Heavy Industries to set up the Centre for Advanced Manufacturing for Robotics and Autonomous Systems for technology development in robotics and autonomous systems. Meanwhile, IIT Delhi has set up the I-HUB Foundation for Cobotics with a funding of Rs 1.7 billion from the Department of Science and Technology. Various DRDO laboratories are also involved in R&D in robotics and AI.
Capacity building programmes
The Atal Innovation Mission is the government’s flagship initiative, with a vision to encourage 1 million children to become neoteric innovators. Under the programme, the government is establishing Atal Tinkering Laboratories in schools across the country. Another notable programme is FutureSkills Prime, a joint initiative by MeitY and nasscom. It aims to offer subsidised access to certified courses in 10 fields including AI, blockchain, robotics and cloud computing. Further, e-Yantra is a robotics outreach programme funded by the Ministry of Education and hosted at IIT Bombay.
Key challenges
Despite its potential, the growth of the robotics ecosystem in India has been slower than in certain developed economies. This can be attributed to several challenges. Some of the key issues identified in the draft document are high import dependence, costly hardware components and insufficient investments in R&D. The shortage of technically proficient engineers and technicians, especially in maintenance and servicing, hinders the development of the domestic robotics ecosystem. Further, foundational research in core robotic technologies is in the early stages in the country, and access to advanced manufacturing facilities for prototyping and testing is limited. Robotics is being increasingly integrated with other technologies, requiring multidisciplinary collaboration, which is currently lacking in the ecosystem. Inconsistent energy supply, unreliable internet connectivity in some areas, ethics and privacy concerns, the lack of specific legislation for robotics and allied technologies, as well as inadequate technical standards and certifications are hampering innovation and deployment of the technology. Therefore, to establish India as a global hub for robotics, concerted efforts are required for mitigation of the current ecosystem challenges as well as augmentation of national and state efforts.
Strategic recommendations
The draft document recommends the creation of a robust regulatory framework to ensure streamlined implementation through a whole-of-ecosystem approach. The proposed framework will aim to support the domestic robotics ecosystem by building synergies with the industry, innovators and other stakeholders. The implementation of the strategy will be led by the Robotics Innovation Unit (RIU), an independent agency that will function under MeitY as a part of INDIAai. To achieve its objectives, the RIU may undertake the implementation of the proposed policy interventions in collaboration with relevant ministries/departments.
The strategy proposes a four-pillar approach to ensure the creation of domestic capabilities and capacity across the innovation life cycle of robotic technology. The pillars are:
R&D
Potential programmatic interventions may be undertaken to ensure the alignment of research priorities with ecosystem requirements and technological developments. These include a network of centres of excellence undertaking foundational research; groundbreaking exploratory research through mission-mode “moonshot projects” for the convergence of robotics and AI for large-scale social transformation; and dedicated engineering degrees in robotics.
Demonstration and testing
Micro, small and medium enterprises are often risk-averse to adopting new technologies. To solve this bottleneck, demonstration/field verification is necessary to validate product reliability. Collaborations with major demand units may be facilitated to jointly develop and undertake demonstrations, provide test platforms and officially promote applications based on field verification and demonstration results. The recommended potential interventions on this front include the establishment of demonstration centres to serve as platforms to showcase the latest developments in robotics; a robotics innovations test bed to support innovators with funding, access to physical and virtual infrastructure, knowledge dissemination and capacity building, and partnerships; regulatory sandboxes for testing of novel technologies and methods in a real-life environment; and standards and certification for robotic technologies contextualised to the domestic ecosystem requirements to meet certain quality and reliability benchmarks.
Product commercialisation and supply chain development
Given the high costs and entry barriers associated with the robotics industry, product commercialisation support through various funding channels is recommended to enable market entry. Moreover, to scale production for domestic and global markets, targeted investments are required to localise the robotics supply chain and increase domestic value addition. The proposed policy interventions in this regard are: modelling suitable funding mechanisms to commercialise robotic technology and run pilot programmes; prioritising reduction of product and process costs; institutional support for start-ups such as value-added intellectual property rights services; development of robotics industrial zones; and technical training with interdisciplinary specialisation and infrastructure upgradation of educational institutions.
Adoption and awareness
To support the proliferation and penetration of robotics, the draft policy recommends introducing targeted demand-side interventions. Information dissemination strategies may also be curated to increase technology awareness and augment adoption. It proposes a public procurement policy for robotics through which the government can act as a demand aggregator and build public trust in robotic systems manufactured in India. A technology adoption plan may be formulated to identify use cases across priority sectors that have the potential to be automated through robotics by 2030. Additionally, a robot utilisation plan may be formulated to enable aggregation of demand and diffusion of robotic technologies for selected industries. Establishing guidelines and requirements for the security, privacy and liability assessment and assignment of robotic technologies is also pertinent to augment the adoption of robotics.
Future roadmap
In an era where robotics is poised to impact various sectors, including manufacturing, healthcare and transportation, the National Strategy for Robotics is the cornerstone for ensuring that India remains at the forefront of this transformative field. It marks an important foundational step for the development and diffusion of robotics and intelligent cyber-physical systems in the country.
MeitY has announced that it will work with various government organisations and other stakeholders in implementing this strategy and maximising the transformative potential of robotics in the country. The government has informed that the draft strategy is an evolving document and may be revised in the future to ensure alignment with market conditions.
Sarah Khan
