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Source: The post is based on the article “What are essential components of ‘National Strategy for Robotics’?” published in Business Standard on 12th September 2023
What is the News?
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology(MeitY) has invited public comments as well as inputs from stakeholders on the draft “National Strategy for Robotics(NSR)”.
Note: According to the World Robotics Report 2022, India ranks 10th globally in terms of annual industrial installations of robots.
What is the Draft National Strategy for Robotics(NSR)?
Aim: To strengthen all pillars in the innovation cycle of robotic technology, while also providing a robust institutional framework for ensuring the effective implementation of these interventions.
Objectives: To make India a global robotics leader by 2030.
– To build upon the mandates of the Make in India 2.0 plans, which identify robotics as one of the 27 sub-sectors to further enhance India’s integration in the global value chain.
Nodal Agency: The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) will serve as the nodal agency for robotics, overseeing the NSR through the ‘National Robotics Mission’ (NRM).
Core sectors: The strategy has identified manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and national security as the four core sectors to prioritize robotics automation.
Measures: The strategy proposes fiscal and non-fiscal interventions by the NRM for upscaling innovation in robotics.These interventions will be specifically aimed at developing funding mechanisms for robotics start-ups as well as promoting exports.
Major recommendations:
– Create a strong regulatory framework led by the Robotics Innovation Unit (RIU) under the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).
– Establish Centers of Excellence (CoEs) in Robotics for both foundational and applied research. Encourage private sector involvement in priority sectors for experimental prototyping and initial commercialization.
– Provide support to startups, leverage research potential in higher education institutions, and develop dedicated robotics industrial zones.
– Initially, the central government should be a major buyer of Indian-made robotic systems. This can be achieved through a Public Procurement Policy for Robotics, which incentivizes domestic production by giving preference to suppliers with a minimum local content requirement.
What are the main challenges in India’s robotics sector?
Import Dependence: India relies heavily on importing robotics components, mainly from China and Japan.
Expensive Hardware: The cost of robotics hardware components is high.
Limited Research and Development: Insufficient investments in research and development hinder progress.
