Machines Are Coming for India’s Unwanted Factory Jobs
Despite an expected surge in the working-age population, factories face a dearth of willing labor.
It’s tough to get factory workers in India these days, particularly in textiles.
Photographer: Karen Dias/BloombergA textile-yarn company in western Indian soon will have more machines than workers. A manufacturer in southern India sold almost double the number of its automated goods last year. India’s biggest carmaker has one robot for every four plant employees.
Automation will double over the next three years in Indian factories, according to a survey by Willis Towers Watson. Companies in the Asia Pacific region reckon machines will account for 23 percent of work, on average, over the next three years, compared with 13 percent today. In India, that figure is expected to rise to almost 30 percent from 14 percent over the same period.