The third meeting of the Technology Advisory Group (TAG), under the Empowered Technology Group (ETG), took place Tuesday to assess India’s robotics landscape, identify key challenges, and develop a strategic plan to propel robotics and physical AI forward in the country.
Focus on Advanced and Indigenous Robotics
In her opening remarks, Dr. Preeti Banzal, Adviser at the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser (PSA), emphasized the importance of prioritizing advanced robotic technologies as a key national agenda, referencing the previous TAG meeting held in February 2025.
Principal Scientific Adviser Ajay Kumar Sood highlighted India’s efforts to establish a self-reliant robotics ecosystem through indigenization. He underscored the need for robotics that complement human labor, with particular focus on collaborative robots and physical AI applications in healthcare, as well as unmanned systems for defense and security.
National Strategies and Defense Integration
S. Krishnan, Secretary of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), presented the draft National Strategy on Robotics, developed in consultation with various stakeholders. He noted that existing initiatives like the IndiaAI Mission, India Semiconductor Mission, and the electronics manufacturing ecosystem could serve as foundations for a dedicated Robotics Mission.
Dr. Sameer Kamat, Chairman of DRDO, stressed the importance of indigenizing critical software and design tools to achieve software sovereignty. Retired Lt Gen N.S. Raja Subramani emphasized that integrating robotics into India’s defense architecture is now a strategic imperative for modern warfare.
Insights from Academia and Industry
Experts from academia and industry shared their perspectives during the meeting. Raghu Dharamaraju, CEO of ARTPARK at IISc Bengaluru, discussed translating AI and robotics research into market-ready solutions. IIT Delhi representatives Subir Kumar Saha and Ashutosh Dutt Sharma highlighted work on collaborative robotics supported by the I-Hub Foundation for Cobotics.
M. Manivannan from IIT Madras called for a national Tactile Intelligence initiative, emphasizing tactile perception and haptics as critical components of embodied AI.
Policy Recommendations and Future Directions
Discussions underscored the necessity of a cohesive policy and incentive framework to bolster domestic manufacturing, reduce import dependence, and facilitate targeted public procurement. Participants pointed out gaps in essential components such as actuators, sensors, and chipsets, advocating for enhanced testing standards, shared data infrastructure, phased indigenization, mission-driven R&D, MSME clustering, and structured field validation.
Towards a National Robotics Roadmap
Dr. Parvinder Maini, Scientific Secretary at the Office of the PSA, summarized the consensus shift from traditional automation to embodied intelligence and adaptive robotic systems. She called for mission-linked grants for startups and MSMEs, unified regulatory standards, and globally aligned norms to support exports.
In closing, Ajay Sood reiterated the importance of a structured approach to robotics for India’s industrial growth, defense readiness, and high-value manufacturing ambitions. He urged stakeholders to contribute concrete recommendations toward establishing a comprehensive national roadmap for robotics and physical AI.
