Discover how a new PwC India report underscores the critical role of Artificial Intelligence and automation in enhancing the competitiveness and strategic growth of India's industrial manufacturing sector.
Key Points
- Indian industrial manufacturing competitiveness relies heavily on seamlessly embedding AI into business strategies and operations.
- A PwC India report reveals 59% of Indian manufacturers believe AI is vital for achieving strategic goals in the next five years.
- Nearly six in ten Indian manufacturers identify AI as the most important lever for strategic growth, with 71% expecting ecosystem collaboration.
- Competitive advantage in an AI-driven future will stem from effective execution and integration, not just technology adoption.
- Indian manufacturers are accelerating automation in data capture, quality assurance, planning, and customer interactions to build intelligent enterprises.
India's industrial manufacturing sector's competitiveness will depend on seamless embedding of AI into their business strategy, operating models, and day-to-day operations, PwC India said in a report on Wednesday.
AI's Pivotal Role In Indian Manufacturing
The report 'Rewriting the rules: The next chapter of Indian industrial manufacturing' said that 59 per cent of Indian industrial manufacturers- compared with 52 per cent globally - believe AI will play a significant role in helping them achieve strategic goals in the next five years.
It found that nearly six in ten Indian industrial manufacturers identify AI as the most important lever for achieving strategic goals while 71 per cent expect ecosystem collaboration to unlock growth.
The report also highlights that in an AI-driven future, competitive advantage will be determined not merely by the technology organisations adopt, but by how seamlessly they embed them into their business strategy, operating models, and day-to-day operations.
"While AI ambitions are widespread, the real test-and the key to sustained value creation-will lie in effective execution," it said.
Accelerating Automation And Strategic Advantage
Indian manufacturers are also accelerating automation across the value chain over the next five years, led by data capture and analytics (82 per cent), followed by quality assurance (69 per cent), planning and forecasting (65 per cent), and customer interactions (63 per cent).
PwC India, Partner and Leader Manufacturing Sector, Vinod Kumar said for India's manufacturing sector, the opportunity is no longer simply about expanding production capacity. It is about building intelligent enterprises that use AI, automation, and data-driven decision-making to create sustainable competitive advantage.
"The manufacturers that thrive will be those that align technology investments with business strategy, workforce transformation, and ecosystem collaboration," Kumar said.
