UP eyes robotics leadership with proposed PRAGATI

What happened

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 proposed 75-acre robotics cluster, led by the Department of IT & Electronics through UP Electronics Corporation Ltd.

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.

Why it matters

(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. 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 ecosystemThe 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.

What to watch

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 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.