New Global Index Highlights India’s Rising Readiness for the Industry 5.0 Era

Mumbai, Mar 10: India is steadily strengthening its position in the global shift toward Industry 5.0, according to a new report by the Oliver Wyman Forum in collaboration with the University of California, Berkeley. The Industry 5.0 Index ranks 92 countries on how effectively they are using new technologies such as AI and clean energy, to drive not just productivity and profits, but also societal wellbeing, sustainability, and resilience.

If countries make progress across these areas, the shift to Industry 5.0 could unlock up to $1 trillion in additional global GDP annually, beyond the direct revenue and productivity gains that new technologies generate for businesses and economies.

The report explains that Industry 5.0 represents an evolution beyond Industry 4.0, emphasizing human-machine collaboration, workforce welfare, environmental sustainability, and resilient systems. The newly launched Industry 5.0 Index, which assesses countries across 30 indicators, positions India at Rank 52 overall, reflecting a nation building strong foundations while rapidly advancing in critical future-ready capabilities. While this overall ranking reflects a broad composite assessment, it does not fully capture India’s strength in AI innovation, where the country is widely regarded as being among the world’s most dynamic and fast-scaling ecosystems.

India also ranks above the South Asian regional average across three pillars central to Industry 5.0: Talent (58); Sustainability (61) and Resilience (45). These strengths are reflected in the country’s accelerating AI ecosystem - over $7 billion in private AI investment in four years, 89% of new startups leveraging AI, and the world’s highest worker optimism on AI-driven productivity, with 86% reporting productivity gains.

Sumit Sarawgi, Partner and Head of Oliver Wyman India, said, “India’s progress across the Industry 5.0 pillars reflects the country’s growing ability to harness technology in a more human-centric and sustainable way. What stands out is the scale and speed at which AI adoption, digital infrastructure expansion, and workforce upskilling are happening simultaneously. These shifts are creating a powerful foundation for India to not only improve productivity but also build more resilient industries and inclusive growth pathways.”

Borko Handjiski, Partner, Government and Public Institutions Practice, said, “As countries navigate rising geopolitical uncertainty, accelerating technological disruption, and the need for more sustainable growth, Industry 5.0 provides a blueprint for building stronger and more inclusive economies. India is well-positioned to ride this wave—its scale, digital maturity, and growing innovation capacity give it a unique opportunity to shape the next generation of global value chains.”

Key findings from the report (India):

India Ranks #6 Globally in Sustainable Trade

• India ranks sixth globally for sustainable trade facilitation
• Turant Customs has created a fully digital, paperless, and zero-touch import–export process, significantly improving ease of trade
• As China’s share of EU imports declines, India has been steadily gaining ground
• The EFTA–India trade agreement (activated October 2025) commits $100B in investment over 15 years, with strong provisions for sustainable development

A National AI Mission Designed for Scale and Inclusivity

• The government has committed $1.25 billion to expand domestic compute infrastructure, accelerate AI research, and scale the IndiaAI ecosystem
• India is building a sovereign AI system trained on India-specific datasets to strengthen digital self-reliance
• National AI education programs, fellowships, and data labs are being rolled out across Tier 2 and Tier 3 regions, broadening access to future-ready skills

India Gains Strategic Advantage in Global Supply-Chain Realignment

• With BRICS now accounting for over 20% of global GDP, India is emerging as one of the bloc’s most dynamic growth engines

India’s resilience, digital infrastructure, and AI-driven capabilities position it as a key destination for global friend-shoring initiatives.