Ahmedabad University Launches Institute of Manufacturing and Economy to Rethink Future of Manufacturing

Ahmedabad University has announced the establishment of the Institute of Manufacturing and Economy during the R&D Conclave on the Changing Nature of Innovation held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The conclave examined the evolving role of manufacturing in India’s economic growth and its links with innovation, productivity, and global competitiveness.

Ahmedabad University has announced the creation of the Institute of Manufacturing and Economy at the R&D Conclave on the Changing Nature of Innovation, organised in collaboration with the Centre for Technology, Innovation and Economic Research (CTIER) in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

India is positioned at a critical stage of development, with manufacturing expected to play a central role in future economic growth. Recent Free Trade Agreements are expected to increase international competition while offering opportunities for Indian companies to integrate into global markets. India’s development strategy also involves raising manufacturing’s share of GDP from about 15 percent to 25 percent, while addressing the combined challenge of advancing technology-intensive manufacturing and improving productivity and employment generation in labour-intensive sectors.

The conclave brought together representatives from national research and funding institutions, government bodies, industry, and academia. Participants included the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the Centre for Sustainable Energy and Mobility (C-SEM), and industry representatives from Tata Chemicals, Pidilite Industries Limited, and NXP Semiconductors.

In his keynote address, Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, Chief Executive Officer of ANRF, discussed mechanisms being developed to strengthen collaboration between industry and academia in advanced manufacturing. He highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex manufacturing and technological challenges and the need to align research, talent development, and industrial capability building.

On the sidelines of the conclave, Ahmedabad University announced the formation of the Institute of Manufacturing and Economy to examine the future of manufacturing in relation to innovation, productivity, and economic strategy.

The transformation of manufacturing requires progress in materials, production processes, and digital manufacturing, along with improved coordination between small and large firms and across supply chains. It also calls for new approaches to talent development and research in both managerial and technological domains to improve productivity and innovation.

The Institute of Manufacturing and Economy has been conceived to bring together scientists, engineers, economists, managers, social scientists, policymakers, and industry practitioners. It approaches manufacturing as a cross-disciplinary field spanning engineering, management, public policy, economics, and science, with an emphasis on collaboration with industry and government.

“Manufacturing challenges cannot be addressed in isolation. Envisioned as a leading global centre for research, education, innovation, and industrial problem-solving, the Institute recognises that productivity, technology adoption, research translation, workforce readiness, and supply chain coordination require integrated perspectives and sustained collaboration between academia, industry, and policymakers,” said Professor Pankaj Chandra, Vice Chancellor of Ahmedabad University.

According to Professor Sunil Kale, Dean of the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Co-Director of the Institute, strengthening manufacturing depends on close engagement with firms and a comprehensive understanding of industrial policy, labour capabilities, productivity, and innovation systems. He noted that advanced manufacturing will require systems integration that incorporates artificial intelligence across production domains. The Institute is planned to work closely with manufacturing industry in India.

The Institute’s planned activities include product and process optimisation, executive education programmes, manufacturing clinics for small and medium enterprises, policy and competitiveness publications, and the biannual Stepwell Manufacturing and Economy Dialogue. It will also support postgraduate education at Ahmedabad University in areas such as composites, microelectronics and semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, 3D printing, and operations management, along with initiatives supporting startups in advanced manufacturing.

The Institute will draw on Ahmedabad University’s facilities, including laboratories, fabrication and prototyping shops, The Learning Factory, VentureStudio, Tinkerers’ Laboratory, High Performance Computing infrastructure, the Bloomberg Laboratory, and incubation and research infrastructure. These resources are intended to support joint research, prototyping, testing, and training with industry partners. Through integrated research, education, and collaboration with industry, the Institute aims to contribute to India’s transition toward a manufacturing system focused on productivity and innovation.