Schneider Electric, a global leader in digital transformation for energy management and automation, has launched the Open Automation Movement in India. This initiative is designed to accelerate the adoption of software-defined, vendor-independent automation systems across industries, marking a major shift from traditional, closed infrastructure to open, interoperable frameworks.
The Open Automation Movement introduces a new standard in industrial automation, offering scalable, flexible, and plug-and-play solutions that enhance operational efficiency and enable seamless integration across platforms. By decoupling hardware from software, Schneider Electric aims to enable industries to overcome limitations posed by legacy systems, ensuring increased agility, data transparency, and long-term resilience.
This strategic initiative serves as a national platform to engage stakeholders—including industry bodies, technology leaders, engineers, developers, and policymakers—to promote the widespread adoption of open automation solutions. The movement is aligned with India’s ambitions for industrial modernization and sustainable economic growth.
Deepak Sharma, Zone President – Greater India, Managing Director & CEO, Schneider Electric India, commented: “India’s industrial future depends on a decisive transition toward intelligent, sustainable, and scalable systems. Open, software-defined automation represents a foundational shift, delivering vendor independence, improved data accessibility, and real-time control. Our vision is to support the development of digitally empowered industrial ecosystems capable of supporting the country’s long-term growth goals.”
India’s industrial sector faces increasing pressure to move beyond the constraints of outdated infrastructure characterized by single-vendor dependencies and limited integration capabilities. Schneider Electric’s response to this challenge is rooted in its flagship offering—EcoStruxure™ Automation Expert—a software-centric solution that separates application development from underlying hardware. This enables faster implementation, streamlined system architecture, and enhanced operational scalability.
Arvind Kakru, Vice President – Industrial Automation, Schneider Electric India, added: “Open, software-defined automation represents a transformative advancement in industrial engineering. With EcoStruxure™ Automation Expert, we are developing modular and fully interoperable systems that bridge the IT-OT gap, reduce engineering complexity, and drive efficiency. These systems form the basis for resilient, data-driven, and energy-efficient industrial environments.”
The Open Automation Movement also prioritizes support for small and medium enterprises by providing cost-effective, scalable automation technologies that were previously inaccessible due to infrastructure costs and vendor lock-ins. Target sectors include Water & Wastewater, Consumer Packaged Goods, Food & Beverage, and Life Sciences, with participation already underway from key industry players.
Rajat Abbi, Vice President – Marketing, Schneider Electric India, noted: “This initiative reflects our long-standing commitment to reshaping industrial automation. Through coordinated engagement across multiple sectors and marketing platforms, we intend to demonstrate the measurable value of open, software-defined automation and empower Indian industries to achieve next-generation operational excellence.” Schneider’s mission is to drive positive change by empowering individuals and organizations to optimize energy use and resources, creating a balance between progress and sustainability. Our goal is to be the trusted partner in advancing Sustainability and Efficiency.
As a global leader in industrial technology, Schneider brings unmatched expertise in electrification, automation, and digitization. We specialize in creating smart industries, resilient infrastructure, future-ready data centers, intelligent buildings, and intuitive homes. Leveraging our deep domain knowledge, we offer integrated, AI-powered Industrial IoT solutions that span the entire lifecycle. Our connected products, automation systems, software, and services deliver digital twins that enable our customers to achieve profitable growth.
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