“India and Japan are natural collaborators, wherein India offers scale and market depth, and Japan brings precision and technological prowess”, says Sarvadnya Kulkarni, CEO of General Instruments Consortium Pvt. Ltd. in an interview with Neha Basudkar Ghate. He shares his vision of a future where India’s mechanical instrumentation sector grows through the integration of electronics, enabling smart automation and encouraging strategic collaborations with Japan. He believes that Indian and Japanese companies can work together by combining India’s adaptability and digital talent with Japan’s precision and process excellence to develop mechanical electronic instrumentation solutions that are smart, sustainable, and globally competitive.
1- How do you assess the current trends shaping the mechanical instrumentation sector in India, particularly with respect to the increasing integration of electronics for enhanced precision and automation?
The mechanical instrumentation sector in India is experiencing a significant evolution, driven largely by the increasing demand for data-driven decision-making and industrial automation. There is a clear trend toward hybridisation, where traditional mechanical systems are being augmented with electronic components like sensors, transmitters, and digital interfaces. This convergence is enabling improved accuracy, remote monitoring, and predictive maintenance capabilities. Moreover, initiatives like ‘Make in India’ and the broader push toward Industry 4.0 are acting as catalysts, encouraging manufacturers to upgrade legacy systems and invest in smart instrumentation.
2- As mechanical instruments become more interconnected with electronic components and smart systems, what challenges do Indian manufacturers face in ensuring quality, reliability, and interoperability, and what strategies are helping to address these issues?
One of the primary challenges lies in achieving seamless interoperability between legacy mechanical platforms and modern electronic systems. This often involves redesigning core components and retraining the workforce. Quality and reliability are also crucial especially in sectors like oil & gas, chemicals, or pharmaceuticals, where failure rates must be near-zero. To address this, manufacturers are investing in precision machining, adopting stricter QA/QC protocols, and collaborating with electronics specialists. Increasingly, companies are also engaging in co-development with domain-specific solution providers to ensure system compatibility and robust integration.
3- From your perspective, what lessons can Indian mechanical instrumentation companies learn from Japan’s approach to mechatronics, quality control, and process discipline, especially in the context of integrating mechanical and electronic systems?
Japan’s disciplined approach to continuous improvement, rooted in Kaizen, lean manufacturing, and deep respect for craftsmanship, is basically a key area from which Indian firms can draw inspiration. Japanese companies emphasise design-for-manufacturability and reliability from the early stages, which minimises downstream integration issues. In mechatronics, Japan’s success stems from tight collaboration between mechanical, electronic, and software engineering teams, a model that Indian firms can emulate. Cultivating a culture of cross-functional alignment and investing in in-house R&D with long-term vision would greatly benefit Indian companies seeking to scale in integrated instrumentation.
4- Conversely, what unique strengths or innovations from the Indian mechanical instrumentation ecosystem could offer valuable insights or opportunities for Japanese firms looking to expand or adapt in diverse markets?
Indian companies bring strengths in cost-effective engineering, rapid customisation, and operating in resource-constrained environments. This agility, combined with deep knowledge of emerging market requirements, can be especially valuable to Japanese firms expanding into South Asia, Africa, or the Middle East. Additionally, India’s growing digital talent pool can support the development of user-centric interfaces and cloud-based instrumentation platforms. There is also a tradition of frugal innovation, developing robust products at lower price points without compromising core functionality which could inspire new product strategies in cost-sensitive segments.
5- How do you see the evolving trade relationship between India and Japan influencing the development of advanced mechanical-electronic systems, particularly in terms of supply chain resilience and technology transfer?
India and Japan are natural collaborators, wherein India offers scale and market depth, and Japan brings precision and technological prowess. Their economic partnership agreements, along with regional initiatives like the Indo-Pacific cooperation framework, can facilitate smoother technology transfer and joint R&D. Given current geopolitical uncertainties, both countries are seeking to de-risk their supply chains. This shared interest presents a unique opportunity to co-develop instrumentation components and sub-systems, localise critical technologies, and diversify manufacturing bases to enhance resilience.
6- What strategies should leaders in India and Japan adopt to foster deeper collaboration in R&D, particularly in emerging fields like smart sensors, industrial automation, and mechatronics?
Collaboration begins with mutual trust and shared objectives. Leaders should encourage the establishment of joint R&D centres, ideally supported by government grants or public-private partnerships. These centres can focus on modular platforms that combine both countries’ expertise like- precision hardware from Japan and digital applications and system integration from India. Academia-industry linkages should also be strengthened to bridge research and application. Importantly, co-developing open standards or shared protocols could accelerate time-to-market and reduce duplication of effort.
7- Given Japan’s global leadership in precision manufacturing and India’s growing market for instrumentation, what specific areas within mechanical-electronic integration offer the most potential for technology transfer and co-development?
Areas like process automation in high-temperature or high-pressure environments, smart level and flow instrumentation, and explosion-proof wireless transmitters are ripe for co-development. Japan’s strength in miniaturised sensors and India’s experience in high-volume manufacturing and calibration for large infrastructure projects create a complementary fit. Additionally, sectors such as renewable energy, hydrogen, and water treatment offer platforms where both nations can jointly develop globally competitive products tailored for emerging needs.
8- What are the opportunities for co-developing sustainable, energy-efficient, and globally competitive mechanical-electronic instrumentation products that meet international standards?
There is a strong push globally for greener, more energy-efficient industrial operations. This opens opportunities for developing low-power smart instruments, recyclable packaging, and sensor systems that enable real-time energy monitoring. India and Japan can collaborate to meet IEC, ATEX, and ISO standards through shared testing infrastructure and harmonised certification processes. With combined expertise in lean design and advanced materials, the two countries can co-create products that meet both cost and compliance expectations in global markets.
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