Industry Stalwarts Back Automation Expo 2026 as South Asia’s Premier Innovation Platform

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], July 20: With Automation Expo 2026 set to open at the Bombay Exhibition Centre from 22 to 25 July, members of the event’s Board of Governors have shared their expectations for the four-day show, describing it as one of the country’s most significant meeting points for the industrial automation, instrumentation, robotics, and digitalisation community.

Started in 2002 under the leadership of Dr. M. Arokiaswamy, the Automation Expo has grown to bring together more than 700 exhibitors and draw manufacturers, engineers, project teams, system integrators, startups, and decision-makers from India and overseas. Alongside the exhibition floor, the show will feature the Futuristic Control Room track on centralised monitoring, digital twins, and AI-led remote operations; an Innovation & Startup Zone for early-stage industrial technology companies; and an OT-Cybersecurity Workshop addressing the security of DCS, PLC, and SCADA systems.

Ahead of the expo, members of the Board of Governors said the platform continues to grow in scale and relevance for the automation ecosystem.

“Automation Expo will allow you to experience innovation and new technologies, meet seniors and peers, and exchange technical ideas. This platform can make you highly influential among technical leadership,” said Dr. B.R. Mehta, Chairman, Board of Governors for Automation Expo, and former Senior Vice President (Retired), Reliance Industries.

Several governors pointed to the expo’s role in bringing the wider ecosystem together in one place.

“Automation Expo has emerged over the years to reach global levels in its content and feel, with the collaboration of technocrats from end-users, consultants, and suppliers around the world demonstrating and discussing the latest innovations in factory and process industries,” said Dr. Thampy Mathew, CEO, Agate Advisory.

Mr. Anuj Bihani, Managing Director, Alstrut India Private Limited, described the show as a platform that turns “conversations into collaborations and innovations into real-world solutions,” bringing together the entire automation ecosystem to learn, share, and build the future of manufacturing.

Mr. Kartik Fojdar, Head of CoE, Engineering Instrumentation, Reliance Industries Ltd, invited visitors to “step into the future of automation” and experience breakthrough innovations and intelligent solutions first-hand.

Dr. Ashish Manchanda, Managing Director, Finder India Pvt Ltd, said the expo will showcase the next wave of Industry 4.0 innovations reshaping industries, with IIoT, robotics, and smart energy control among the key highlights as sustainability takes centre stage.

Mr. Gaurav Bawa, Senior Vice President – India Group, WIKA Instruments India Pvt Ltd, called Automation Expo “the industry’s most powerful platform for fostering innovation, collaboration, and the technologies that will define the future of industrial automation.”

Mr. Jatin Patel, Business Development Head for Projects and OEM Business, Forbes Marshall, said the event brings suppliers, startups, and customers together “to transform ideas into the future of automation.” For Mr. P.V. Sivaram, Evangelist for Industry 4.0, Digital Transformation, and Industrial Automation, the value lies in the density of access: “Hundreds of conversations among qualified industry experts in four days, which otherwise would take a full year.”

Mr. Sunil B. Bansod, Executive Engineer – Automation, Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Co Ltd, said Automation Expo stands as the nation’s premier platform where innovation meets industry, adding that the show is “not just an exhibition; it is a movement driving automation, sustainability, and future-ready solutions.”

Mr. Uphar Srivastava, Vice President, LAPP India Pvt Ltd, said he looks forward to “contributing to a platform that fosters innovation, knowledge exchange, meaningful collaborations, and the adoption of next-generation technologies,” while welcoming the automation community to another edition of the expo.

Dr. Kirti Shah, Director, Amar Sustain Tech Solutions, invited visitors to “experience ground-breaking technology, live demonstrations, and expert networking – all under one roof.”

Mr. Jagdishchandra Pramani, Associate Vice President, Electrical & Instrumentation, SRF Limited, called the expo the place “where ideas become reality,” noting that it successfully “connects innovation, technology, and industry under one roof.”

Dr. V.P. Raman, Empanelled IECEx Trainer, KLPL, said visitors can “discover cutting-edge process and factory automation under one roof and explore the latest innovations shaping the future of automation.”

Dr. Ravinder Goyal, Managing Director, EIP Enviro Level Controls Pvt Ltd, said the expo is where “breakthrough ideas meet cutting-edge technology, meaningful collaborations begin, and innovation becomes reality.”

Mr. Shyam Warialani, Certified Independent Director, SAW Process Solutions, added, “Want to see the power of AI in control and instrumentation? Come and see for yourself how AI shapes the future of the field.”

Mr. Mohit Kumawat, IIoT Sales Director, Advantech Industrial Computing India Pvt Ltd, summed up the show simply: “Automation Expo 2026 – Where Automation Meets Innovation.”

Dr. Shrikant Patil, Chief Executive Officer, Maharashtra State Innovation Society, will attend Automation Expo 2026 as the Chief Guest. The expo is open to plant heads, project engineers, maintenance professionals, automation specialists, procurement leaders, startup founders, researchers, and students. It will run at the Bombay Exhibition Centre, Mumbai, from 22 to 25 July 2026.

About IED Communications Ltd.

IED Communications Ltd. organises Automation Expo, a premier platform for automation, instrumentation, robotics, digitalisation, and smart manufacturing that connects industry professionals across India and overseas. Under the leadership of Dr. M. Arokiaswamy, the company has built Automation Expo into one of India’s leading industry platforms, a legacy it proudly continues to carry forward.