Uttar Pradesh is positioning itself to become India’s robotics capital with an ambitious proposal to establish PRAGATI – the country’s first integrated robotics and artificial intelligence innovation campus – in Noida.The move is aimed at reducing import dependence, accelerating advanced manufacturing and creating a globally competitive robotics ecosystem.
The proposed 75-acre robotics cluster, led by the Department of IT & Electronics through UP Electronics Corporation Ltd. (UPLC), is envisioned as a public-private partnership that will bring together robotics manufacturers, AI startups, research institutions, testing facilities and component suppliers under a single integrated campus.The first phase will be developed over 10 acres and is expected to become operational within 12 to 16 months after project approval.
The proposal comes at a time when the global robotics market is projected to reach nearly $135 billion by 2030, while India’s robotics market is expected to grow to around $4.1 billion.
Despite the rapid expansion of automation worldwide, nearly 85 per cent of robots used in India are imported, underscoring the need for a domestic manufacturing and innovation ecosystem.Comprehensive robotics ecosystem
The PRAGATI campus is planned as a comprehensive robotics ecosystem featuring India’s first robotics testing and certification centre, AI compute infrastructure, GPU clusters, rapid prototyping facilities, motion capture laboratories, physical AI data collection centres, drone testing zones, outdoor robotics testing tracks, incubation spaces and dedicated R&D infrastructure.
Officials believe Noida offers a natural advantage for such an initiative. The city already hosts one of India’s largest electronics manufacturing ecosystems, with over 100 electronics manufacturing companies and more than 50 robotics and drone firms.
The region also benefits from world-class connectivity through expressways, the upcoming Noida International Airport, the Dedicated Freight Corridor and proximity to premier academic institutions.PRAGATI is envisioned as a national platform that will bring together industry, startups, academia and government to accelerate innovation, strengthen domestic capabilities and position India as a global hub for advanced robotics,” said Alok Kumar, Principal Secretary, IT & Electronics, Government of Uttar Pradesh.
Roadmap to implementation
According to the proposal, the project is expected to generate over ₹2,000 crore in gross value addition within five years during the first phase, while creating more than one lakh direct and indirect employment opportunities as the full 75-acre ecosystem is developed.
The financial model also projects operational break-even by the third year and a sustainable operating surplus by the fifth year.
The governance framework envisages a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) led through a public-private partnership, with participation from the Central Government, the Uttar Pradesh government and industry partnersThe state government is proposed to provide land on a long-term lease along with partial capital support, while private partners would contribute investment, operational expertise and technology capabilities.
As the next step, Uttar Pradesh plans to submit the proposal to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for policy and fiscal support, alongside initiating land allocation and the process for onboarding industry partners.
If approved, PRAGATI could become India’s first dedicated robotics innovation cluster, strengthening the country’s ambitions in advanced manufacturing, AI-driven automation and deep-tech innovation while placing Uttar Pradesh at the forefront of the next industrial revolution.
