29th PM-STIAC Meeting On Advanced Manufacturing Systems

13 Mar 2026 CW Team

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.

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.

Technology

29 Jul 2026

AI-Enabled Workflows Lift Profitability and Productivity

Organisations modernising frontline workflows with artificial intelligence, automation and real-time data are reporting stronger financial performance, higher productivity and improved employee engagement, according to a global study by Zebra Technologies and Oxford Economics.The research covered 1,000 senior leaders across retail, manufacturing, transportation and logistics in the US, Mexico, the UK, Germany, India, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.In transportation and logistics, 54 per cent of companies that improved picking and packing operations reported faster operational performance, wh..

Real Estate

29 Jul 2026

India Leads Global AI Readiness but Implementation Lags

Indian companies lead global averages across all eight artificial intelligence readiness indicators tracked by JLL, but only 19 per cent have started making changes to their workplaces, according to the JLL 2026 Future of Work Survey.The study found that 77 per cent of Indian business leaders expect AI to change their office requirements, creating a 58-percentage-point gap between awareness and implementation. The survey covered more than 2,200 CEOs, CFOs and real estate leaders across 21 countries during the first quarter of 2026.Despite concerns over automation, 58 per cent of Indian leaders..

Equipment

29 Jul 2026

Three WOLFF Cranes Build Riyadh Cable-Stayed Bridges

Three WOLFF 180 B luffing jib cranes are supporting the construction of two cable-stayed bridges alongside the existing Wadi Laban Bridge in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The project is being developed for the Royal Commission for Riyadh City and executed by the ICRC joint venture comprising IC Ictas and Al Rashid Trading & Contracting Company.The cranes are handling lifting operations including formwork, reinforcement, concrete placement, work platforms, surveying equipment and other construction materials. Each crane is fitted with a 40 m jib, reaches a hook height of 157 m and offers a maximum ..