New Delhi, May 24 (KNN) NITI Aayog and ABB India have inked a pact to collaborate to help key sectors adopt advanced manufacturing technologies like digitization, robotics and artificial intelligence.

A Statement of Intent (SoI) was signed between the two on May 23 in the national capital.

The agreement was signed in the presence of Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog and Dr Ulrich Spiesshofer, CEO, ABB by Anna Roy, Adviser (Industry), NITI Aayog and Sanjeev Sharma, MD, ABB India.

“NITI Aayog will work with ABB across various sectors of the economy, such as the power and water utilities, industries like food as well as the heavy industries and the transport (rail and metro) and infrastructure to suggest solutions for digitalization, incorporating the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies. The initiative also covers the fast growing segment of electric mobility,” said an official release.

Jointly, NITI Aayog and ABB will work with government ministries, solicit feedback for areas critical to them and discuss solutions using industrial automation, and digitalization technologies.

“We are looking forward to learning more about practical applications of future technologies such as AI and IoT, especially in streamlining governance and economic systems. Through this collaboration, which will include cross-sectoral understanding of digitalization at ABB’s world class centers, will be key in driving progress of key sectors in India. This collaboration is meant to lead to actionable insights and focused plans that will help India become a centre for advanced manufacturing,” said Kant.

Through this SoI, NITI Aayog will facilitate participation of policymakers and government functionaries in workshops and training programs organized by ABB India.

Such programs will feature subject matter experts and will aim to sensitize policymakers and officials about relevant AI capabilities, and explore ways they can be used for revolutionizing manufacturing productivity.

The first workshop for senior government officials, under this collaboration, would be organised in June, 2018 at ABB Ability Innovation Centre in Bengaluru. Given the importance of the food processing sector, the workshop will focus on digital and automation technologies in this sector.

Senior officials from the Central, State Governments and autonomous bodies will be nominated for this workshop. Similar workshops will be organised for other sectors such as power, urban development and transport in the future.

Based on the interactions with ABB India, NITI Aayog will also make recommendations to government ministries for guidelines and policies regarding development and adoption of AI technology in sectors such as power & water utilities, manufacturing, eMobility and infrastructure, with industrial automation and digitalization as the backbone.

NITI Aayog, in collaboration with ABB, will come out with a report on policy recommendations based on the feedback received in the workshops, by December this year.