Rockwell Automation, Cisco bring software-defined manufacturing to India with new IT-OT initiative
The companies have introduced a software-defined manufacturing reference architecture, a demonstration facility in Gurugram and a joint digital skills programme to help manufacturers build AI-ready, connected factory environments.
Rockwell Automation and Cisco have announced a strategic collaboration in India to help manufacturers modernise factory operations by bringing information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) through a software-defined manufacturing approach.
The collaboration introduces a full-stack software-defined manufacturing reference design for the Indian market, alongside a software-defined manufacturing Demo Pod at Rockwell Automation's Gurugram facility.
The companies have also launched a joint digital skills initiative to prepare India's manufacturing workforce for connected, AI-enabled industrial environments.
It aims to help manufacturers move beyond traditional automation towards software-defined, AI-ready operations by integrating industrial automation with secure networking infrastructure.
The architecture will enable secure communication between enterprise IT systems and factory-floor operational technology, allowing manufacturers to gain greater visibility into production environments while supporting AI-driven decision making.
According to the companies, integrating IT and OT infrastructure will help manufacturers improve operational resilience, enhance network observability, reduce operational risk and securely manage data flows across industrial environments.
The approach also aims to simplify the deployment of AI-enabled manufacturing applications by providing secure, reliable connectivity between production systems and enterprise platforms.
Rockwell Automation India managing director Dilip Sawhney said India's manufacturing sector is entering a new phase of digital transformation.
"By bringing together industrial automation expertise and modern digital infrastructure, we are helping manufacturers build operations that are more resilient, intelligent, and ready for the future," he said.
Demo facility to support customers and partners
As part of the initiative, Rockwell Automation has established a software-defined manufacturing Demo Pod at its Gurugram facility.
The demonstration environment will allow customers, partners and ecosystem participants to evaluate, validate and co-develop manufacturing solutions before deploying them across production environments.
According to the companies, the facility will help manufacturers move beyond pilot projects by providing a practical environment for testing software-defined manufacturing architectures and AI-enabled industrial use cases.
For system integrators, industrial solution providers and technology partners, the centre also provides an opportunity to showcase integrated networking, automation and industrial software capabilities in real-world manufacturing scenarios.
The collaboration reflects a shift in manufacturing as organisations increasingly prepare production environments for AI-driven operations.
Rather than treating networking and industrial automation as separate technology domains, the companies are promoting a unified architecture that enables secure data movement between factory equipment, enterprise applications and AI platforms.
Cisco’s vice president, partner and routes to market sales, APJC, Kartika Prihadi, said the collaboration aims to help manufacturers move beyond conventional automation.
"By unifying secure networking, automation, and AI-ready infrastructure, we are helping manufacturers move from automation to autonomy, unlocking new levels of efficiency, innovation, and trust," she said.
Building digital manufacturing skills
Alongside the technology initiative, Rockwell Automation and Cisco are introducing a joint workforce development programme to address the growing demand for digital manufacturing skills.
The programme combines Cisco Networking Academy with Rockwell Automation's Learning+ platform to provide training in networking, cybersecurity and software-defined industrial environments.
The companies said the initiative is intended to support workforce readiness as manufacturers increasingly adopt connected production systems, industrial AI and digitally managed factory operations.
The collaboration aligns with the growing adoption of digital manufacturing technologies as Indian manufacturers invest in automation, industrial connectivity and AI to improve productivity and global competitiveness.
By combining networking, industrial automation and workforce development, Rockwell Automation and Cisco are positioning the initiative as a framework for manufacturers looking to modernise operations while creating opportunities for partners delivering industrial networking, cybersecurity, factory automation and AI-enabled manufacturing solutions.