Sales of industrial robots in India have reached a new record with 4,945 units installed. This is an increase of 54% compared to the previous year. In terms of annual installations, India now ranks tenth in the world. These are the results of the statistical yearbook 'World Robotics' published by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).
The automotive industry remains the largest customer for the robotics industry in the country with a market share of 31% in 2021. The number of installations has more than doubled to 1547 units (+108%). The general industry in India is led by the metal industry with 308 units (- 9 %), followed by the rubber and plastics industry with 246 units (+ 27 %) and the electrical/electronics industry with 215 units (+ 98 %).
The Indian government supports the growth of the industrial sector as one of the most important factors influencing gross domestic product (GDP). As reported by the International Monetary Fund, the country's GDP of over $3 bn ranks fifth in the world, neck and neck with the UK and France - behind Germany, Japan, China and the US.
According to the IFR, the manufacturing industry should also benefit from the Indian government's initiatives to increase competitiveness and attractiveness for investors. The initiatives subsidize companies that create production capacities in India in customer industries for robotics. These include, for example, the automotive, metal, pharmaceutical and food industries.
These new production capacities are important in order to create appropriate education and employment opportunities for the Indian population. According to United Nations projections, India has now reached a population of 1.4 billion people, surpassing China for the first time. This means that India, with its large and young population, has a large workforce that can drive economic growth and innovation. According to forecasts, India will be the economy with the world's largest working-age population by 2027.
