AI and sustainable development can together drive India’s future: Industry leaders
Dalian (China), June 24 (IANS) AI-powered technologies and collective action can accelerate sustainable development and transform critical infrastructure in India, industry leaders said on Wednesday.
Speaking to IANS on the sidelines of World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting of the New Champions — known as Summer Davos — Jorgen Sandstrom, Head of the Transforming Industrial Ecosystem Programme, said India possesses significant opportunities in renewable energy and sustainable industrial development.
During his visits to projects such as Mundra in Gujarat and energy facilities in Hyderabad, Sandstrom observed that several initiatives are strongly focused on green energy and sustainability.
He said such environmentally friendly projects should be replicated across regions and sectors to support long-term economic growth.
“The projects I’ve seen in and around Mundra and in the Kutch desert are about vertical integration — where you have clean power from one end and on the other side comes green ammonia, for example, or green steel or other types of cleaner products or cleaner services,” he said.
“There could be cleaner shipping, cleaner transport, and electrification of industry. That is, of course, the way forward, and there are different ways of doing this,” he added.
Speaking on the role of artificial intelligence and industrial transformation, Sandstrom said that economic growth requires attention to several policy areas beyond industry alone. He emphasised that the World Economic Forum is focusing on collective action, encouraging companies and institutions to work together rather than operating individually.
He noted that India has made significant progress in renewable energy, particularly in solar power and other clean energy projects. Large-scale installations in Gujarat’s Khavda region and pumped storage projects in Hyderabad demonstrate the country’s commitment to the energy transition.
According to Sandstrom, these developments could eventually support the production of green hydrogen and green ammonia, which have applications in transportation, agriculture and other sectors. He said the transition from traditional systems to sustainable models requires extensive planning, coordination and a systemic approach.
Meanwhile, Divanshu Kumar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Solinas Integrity, highlighted the growing role of artificial intelligence in urban infrastructure management. He said AI-powered robotic solutions are transforming sewer and pipeline maintenance across India.
Kumar said artificial intelligence helps identify blockages, leaks and structural defects in underground sewer and water networks. Robotic inspections also allow municipal corporations to maintain infrastructure more efficiently while reducing operational costs.
–IANS
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