ICEA Drives Industrial Electronic Sector to the Vanguard of India's $500 Billion Manufacturing Goal
India is making significant strides in the field of industrial electronics, with the recent acquisition of Israel-based Unitronics (1989) (R"G) Ltd by Amber Enterprises India Ltd. This move is expected to accelerate India's transition towards smart factories and digitally-driven production systems.
Unitronics brings cutting-edge capabilities in Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs), Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), and Industrial IoT. This acquisition will undoubtedly enhance India's access to world-class industrial automation technologies.
The acquisition cost is ₹404 crore, and it aligns with India's priorities on self-reliance, export competitiveness, and high-value job creation. Mr. Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman of the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA), highlighted that industrial electronics has potential for high-skilled employment in areas such as embedded systems, automation software, robotics, and AI-integrated systems.
The current status of industrial electronics as a central pillar for India's $500 billion electronics manufacturing target by 2030-31 is one of prioritized focus and rapid development. ICEA, in particular, emphasizes that industrial and infrastructure electronics must be front and centre of India's growth strategy in electronics manufacturing to achieve this ambitious goal.
India's government and industry leaders are working on building talent pipelines, enhancing R&D, and providing incentives to foster growth in industrial electronics. This includes areas such as embedded systems, automation software, robotics, and AI-enabled systems, which are critical for high-skilled job creation and global competitiveness.
On a complementary front, India is making significant strides in semiconductor manufacturing—a crucial enabler of industrial electronics. The government’s India Semiconductor Mission, with a ₹76,000 crore (~$9.5 billion) outlay, supports these efforts through financial incentives, aiming to position India as a global semiconductor and electronics manufacturing hub.
The future strategy for industrial electronics revolves around prioritizing industrial electronics as a central pillar of the $500 billion electronics manufacturing target, strengthening talent development, research & development, and financial incentives to accelerate domestic design and manufacturing, integrating emerging technologies like automation, AI, robotics, and smart infrastructure, expanding semiconductor fabrication and design capacities to supply critical components for industrial electronics, and supporting a strategic policy environment to boost competitiveness.
Mr. Manish Walia, VP of Delta Electronics, noted that industrial electronics forms the technological backbone of modern manufacturing infrastructure, powering smart factories, robotics, intelligent grids, automated systems, and future-ready transport and logistics networks. The acquisition is seen as a significant boost to India's Industrial automation capabilities.
ICEA is leading efforts to craft a dedicated policy and strategic roadmap for industrial electronics through its Steering Committee on Industrial Electronics and Infrastructure. The steering committee includes top leaders from Delta Electronics, Infineon Technologies, Festo, Fanuc, Rockwell Automation India Pvt. Ltd, Feedback Advisory, and Federation for Economic Development (FED).
In conclusion, the acquisition of Unitronics by Amber Enterprises India Ltd is a significant step towards India's vision to become a global electronics manufacturing powerhouse by 2030-31. The focus on industrial electronics as a central pillar, the commitment to domestic design and manufacturing, the integration of emerging technologies, and the expansion of semiconductor fabrication and design capacities are all crucial components of this strategy. The future of India's electronics industry is not just about manufacturing products, but also goods that automate factories, cities, and transportation networks.
The acquisition of Unitronics by Amber Enterprises India Ltd will undoubtedly enhance India's access to world-class industrial automation technologies, including Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Human-Machine Interfaces (HMIs), Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs), and Industrial IoT.
India's strategy for industrial electronics revolves around prioritizing it as a central pillar, strengthening talent development, research & development, and financial incentives to integrate emerging technologies, expand semiconductor fabrication and design capacities, and support a strategic policy environment to boost competitiveness.
