Automating rural manufacturing: The role of AI in enhancing efficiency and quality

By Salloni Ghodawat, Director, Ghodawat Consumer Ltd

India, a predominantly agrarian country, has seen a drastic transition in its economic structure in the past several decades. By contributing 17 per cent to the nation’s GDP, the manufacturing industry is emerging as an integral part of India’s economic growth, as reported by India Brand Equity Foundation. While urban cities have always been the core pillars of this growing manufacturing landscape, there has been a shift in focus where the nation is initiating industrial practices in rural areas. Government policies, technological advancements and initiatives to empower rural areas also play an important role in this major industrial shift. This phenomenon, in turn, has far-reaching effects on employment, economic equity, and sustainable development.

Today, manufacturing continues to be one of the major sources of livelihood for people in rural India. Following trade liberalisation, import competition increased for many ...