en.Wedoany.com Reported - Cisco and Rockwell Automation have partnered to accelerate the adoption of software-defined manufacturing in India. The two companies have launched a full-stack software-defined manufacturing reference design that combines Cisco's software-defined networking with Rockwell Automation's software-defined automation, aiming to help manufacturers overcome barriers to IT and OT convergence.

The two companies stated that by enabling secure data transmission between IT and OT, manufacturers can gain real-time visibility and actionable insights, thereby improving efficiency, reducing risks, supporting AI-driven decision-making, while maintaining compliance and protecting critical operations. Additionally, the companies have launched a "Software-Defined Manufacturing Demonstration Platform" at Rockwell Automation's facility in Gurugram, developed in collaboration with Cisco's Country Digital Acceleration program. This platform enables customers, partners, and the ecosystem to co-create and validate solutions tailored to India's manufacturing needs, supporting organizations in transitioning from pilot projects to scalable deployments across factories and production lines.

Dilip Sawhney, Managing Director of Rockwell Automation India, stated that Indian manufacturing is at a decisive moment, and by combining industrial automation expertise with modern digital infrastructure, manufacturers are being helped to build more resilient, intelligent, and future-ready operations. The two companies also announced a joint digital skills program for the manufacturing sector, combining Cisco Networking Academy and Rockwell's Learning+ program. Kartika Prihadi, Vice President of Partners and Market Sales for Asia Pacific, Japan, and Greater China at Cisco, noted that by unifying secure networking, automation, and AI-ready infrastructure, manufacturers are being helped to move from automation to autonomous operations, unlocking new levels of efficiency, innovation, and trust.