Speaking with TechGraph, Dr. Sanjeev Srivastava, Head of Industrial Automation at Delta Electronics India, discussed how the country’s push toward a $1.1 trillion manufacturing economy has accelerated Industry 4.0 adoption in India but remained concentrated in select sectors due to cost sensitivity and legacy infrastructure, and how Delta is responding by building an automation stack that offer end-to-end upgrades without demanding a complete overhaul of existing setups.
Srivastava also explained how Delta’s approach prioritises human-machine collaboration through AI-enabled cobots, localized R&D, and modular deployment models that scale with MSME budgets to help manufacturers improve precision and productivity.
Read the interview in detail:
TechGraph: Manufacturing in India is moving fast toward Industry 4.0, but adoption levels are uneven across sectors. Where do you see the biggest gaps in automation today, and how is Delta addressing them?
Dr. Sanjeev Srivastava: India’s manufacturing sector is targeting $1.1 trillion by FY26, but adoption of automation remains uneven. While automotive and electronics lead in automation penetration, sectors such as textiles, food & beverages, and small-scale manufacturing are still catching up.
Delta Electronics India is offering a comprehensive range of automation products that cover every level of industrial operations — from shop-floor equipment like drives, linear motion systems, and robots to data collection and management solutions.
The company provides automation products and solutions known for their high performance and reliability, including drives, motion control systems, industrial control and communication, power quality improvement, human-machine interfaces, sensors, meters, and robot solutions. Delta also offers information monitoring and management systems such as SCADA and Industrial Energy Management Systems, ensuring seamless integration for smart manufacturing environments.
TechGraph: Automation is often seen as a replacement for human effort, but in India, it is also about augmenting a large workforce. How is Delta striking the balance between efficiency gains and human-machine collaboration?
Dr. Sanjeev Srivastava: Delta Electronics India’s D-Bot Collaborative Robot (Cobot) Series represents its approach to balancing automation and human collaboration. These 6-axis cobots are equipped with advanced safety mechanisms that detect contact and instantly reverse movement to prevent accidents, ensuring safe human-robot interaction.
The D-Bot Series features advanced AI integration for real-time decision-making and adaptive task handling. Its plug-and-play design simplifies deployment and reduces setup time. The cobots support multi-tasking capabilities, allowing seamless switching between assembly, welding, and packaging tasks.
Enhanced safety features, such as 3D vision and force-sensing technology, ensure secure collaboration with human operators. With payload capacities ranging from 6 kg to 30 kg and speeds up to 200 degrees per second, D-Bot cobots deliver precision, efficiency, and flexibility for industries like packaging, electronics assembly, material handling, welding, and machine tending.
Delta also showcases articulated and SCARA robots for high-speed pick-and-place applications and smart screw-driving solutions in electronics manufacturing.
TechGraph: Beyond the factory floor, automation is increasingly shaping supply chains, logistics, and even customer experiences. In what ways is Delta broadening the definition of industrial automation for its Indian clients?
Dr. Sanjeev Srivastava: Delta Electronics India has developed robust R&D capabilities over the past two decades, offering automation products and solutions for industries such as electronics, components, photoelectric panels, and food & beverages.
The company is building integrated automation ecosystems where each component enhances efficiency. Drives and motion control systems ensure precision in operations, while SCADA provides centralized monitoring and control. The Industrial Energy Management System complements these by optimizing energy consumption.
Together, these technologies create a synchronized environment where data flows seamlessly across systems — enabling predictive maintenance, real-time insights, and improved productivity for Indian manufacturers.
TechGraph: With rising demand for real-time data and predictive maintenance, how is Delta embedding AI, IoT, and analytics into its automation solutions for Indian industries?
Dr. Sanjeev Srivastava: Delta Electronics India is advancing its automation portfolio by integrating machine learning algorithms, AI-driven analytics, and IoT-enabled control systems to make industrial operations more intelligent and adaptive.
Its next-generation motion control systems provide high-speed, high-precision capabilities that enable advanced robotics and automated production lines. The company is also investing in digital twin technology, allowing manufacturers to simulate and optimize production processes virtually before implementation.
The D-Bot series cobots integrate seamlessly with Delta’s VTScada SCADA system, digital twin platform, and machine vision systems, empowering customers to improve productivity, reliability, and efficiency.
Delta’s motion control solutions combine advanced servo motors, drives, and controllers to execute complex movements with precision — crucial for applications like robotics, CNC machinery, and automated packaging lines.
TechGraph: Cost sensitivity often slows down automation adoption in small and medium enterprises. What models or innovations is Delta bringing to make automation accessible and scalable for this segment?
Dr. Sanjeev Srivastava: Delta Electronics India recognizes the cost constraints of MSMEs and offers modular, scalable automation solutions that can be implemented in phases. The company’s product portfolio includes drives, motion control systems, industrial control and communication, power quality improvement, human-machine interfaces, sensors, and meters.
Delta operates sixteen regional offices, three manufacturing facilities in Rudrapur, Gurgaon, and Krishnagiri, and two R&D centres in Gurgaon and Bengaluru, supported by over 200 channel partners across India. This extensive network ensures local support and minimal downtime for customers.
The company’s investment in the Krishnagiri facility reinforces its commitment to local innovation, manufacturing excellence, and sustainability, while also supporting India’s “Design in India, Manufacture in India” strategy.
Through focused training programs, Delta upskills workers in automation and AI, ensuring that MSMEs can adopt technologies that are both cost-effective and locally relevant.
TechGraph: How is Delta helping manufacturers reduce energy consumption and carbon footprint while still improving productivity?
Dr. Sanjeev Srivastava: Sustainability lies at the heart of Delta’s operations. The company designs automation solutions that enhance energy efficiency while maintaining productivity.
Delta’s drives and motion control systems deliver precision in operations, while its Industrial Energy Management System (EMS) optimizes energy use across industrial facilities. These technologies collectively help industries reduce operational costs and environmental impact.
Delta signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) to source 9.6 million units of wind power annually, reducing its reliance on fossil fuels and cutting approximately 6,979 metric tons of carbon emissions each year.
The company’s Bengaluru headquarters exemplifies its sustainability ethos — featuring a 593 kW solar PV system generating over 650,000 kWh annually, 82 variable frequency drives for optimized energy consumption, and a data center operating at a PUE as low as 1.4. This facility demonstrates Delta’s approach to sustainable, smart infrastructure.
TechGraph: Given your strong local presence with R&D centres in Gurgaon and Bengaluru, how much of Delta’s automation portfolio for India is being developed or customised locally rather than imported from global lines?
Dr. Sanjeev Srivastava: Delta Electronics India’s Bengaluru facility, spanning 61,000 square meters, can accommodate up to 3,000 management, R&D, and engineering professionals. The company plans to employ around 750 R&D engineers over the next three years to enhance its capabilities in developing smart, energy-saving, and AI-driven solutions.
With four manufacturing facilities and two R&D centres, Delta is focused on developing automation technologies tailored to Indian market requirements, cost structures, and regulatory needs.
While core automation technologies benefit from Delta’s global R&D network, the company increasingly develops and customizes applications, integrations, and industry-specific solutions locally — ensuring relevance and scalability for Indian customers.
TechGraph: Looking ahead to the next three to five years, how do you see automation redefining the competitiveness of Indian manufacturing globally, and what role will Delta play in that journey?
Dr. Sanjeev Srivastava: India’s industrial automation sector is undergoing rapid transformation. Over the next three to five years, manufacturing competitiveness will hinge on interconnected ecosystems that enable real-time communication between machines, predictive maintenance, and autonomous decision-making.
Collaborative robots like Delta’s D-Bot Series are set to play a major role by addressing labor shortages and enhancing operational efficiency. These cobots are designed to automate repetitive processes while working safely alongside humans, improving productivity across industries such as electronics, automotive, and textiles.
By integrating AI-driven features, cobots optimize workflows, minimize errors, and enable continuous operation, supporting both large enterprises and small-scale manufacturers.
With ongoing investments in R&D and manufacturing infrastructure, Delta aims to strengthen India’s position in global manufacturing by serving as a technology enabler, integration partner, and sustainability leader — driving the nation’s transition toward intelligent, high-precision, and environmentally responsible production systems.