The Prime Minister’s Science, Technology and Innovation Advisory Council (PM-STIAC) held its 29th meeting on ten March 2026 at Kartavya Bhawan Three in New Delhi, chaired by Professor Ajay Kumar Sood of the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser. The council convened to deliberate on advanced manufacturing systems as central to economic growth, competitiveness and strategic autonomy. The session set out to frame strategic guidance aimed at shifting India from being primarily an importer of advanced manufacturing technologies to becoming a designer, developer and producer of these systems.

Participants included senior PM-STIAC members, officials from the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser, and secretaries and chiefs from ministries and research organisations, together with industry leaders and academic representatives. The Central Manufacturing Technology Institute (CMTI), the Department of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Heavy Industries and the Department of Space were represented among others, and specialised manufacturers and robotics firms attended. Presentations and interventions emphasised the need for coordinated action across ministries, research institutions and industry to strengthen the ecosystem.

Speakers highlighted that advanced manufacturing systems encompass high precision machine tools, CNC control systems, robotics, additive manufacturing and testing and metrology infrastructure and underlined the prevailing dependence on imported subsystems and platforms. Digital engineering tools such as product lifecycle management and multidisciplinary design optimisation were identified as critical enablers that require deeper domestic development and adoption. The meeting reviewed thematic work on machine tool control systems and aggregates, industrial robotics and automation, and advanced additive manufacturing.

Recommendations focused on a mission oriented programme with clear targets for localisation, robotics adoption and domestic value addition, backed by shared national infrastructure, standards and certification frameworks and specialised skill development. A national database or repository of capabilities, facilities and expertise was proposed to map strengths and gaps and support deployment at commercial scale. As a way forward stakeholders were asked to jointly prepare, within three months, a practical action plan outlining scope, institutional architecture and funding requirements for a coherent national mission on advanced manufacturing systems.