These record sales are the latest highlight in a period of many years that have seen the use of robots increase disproportionately. The International Federation of Robotics (IFR) found that between 2012 and 2017, India saw a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18%. In 2017, the automotive industry ordered 62% of robots, but sales of robots to the rubber and plastics industry, metal industry, and electrical and electronics industry were also up considerably. However, the emerging market still shows a comparatively low robot density figure: 85 industrial robots per 10,000 employees in the automotive industry are less than a quarter of Indonesia’s density (378 units) and far off China’s (505 units).

The surge in demand for robots in India reflects the global trend . Worldwide, sales of industrial robots grew by 29%, with the automotive industry as the frontrunner here, too. In 2017, the biggest increase in demand came from China, where robot manufacturers recorded a plus of 58%.