Manufacturing Reimagined: Why Relevance, Not Scale, Will Define the Next Decade of Indian Manufacturing

In an environment where manufacturing is being reshaped by digitalisation, compliance pressures, cybersecurity risks and shifting global supply chains, the traditional focus on capacity and cost is no longer sufficient. “Manufacturing Reimagined” is positioned as a response to this inflection point, designed to help Indian manufacturing SMEs think beyond output and prepare for relevance in a far more demanding global ecosystem.

In this conversation, Puru Shah speaks with Prashant Laxmeshwar, Founder, Amanhã Idealabs, on why the initiative was conceptualised, how relevance is redefining manufacturing competitiveness and why risk-aware transformation is becoming central to long-term resilience.

Puru Shah: India has no shortage of manufacturing forums and industrial expos. What led you to conceptualise Manufacturing Reimagined as a distinct industry initiative?

Prashant Laxmeshwar: Most manufacturing conversations in India are still anchored in the past: capacity expansion, cost competitiveness, machinery upgrades. Those remain important, but they no longer answer the most pressing question SME manufacturers are facing today: Will my factory remain relevant in the next decade?

Manufacturing Reimagined was born from the belief that manufacturing is undergoing a structural shift. It is moving from low-cost production to intelligent, compliant and resilient value creation. SMEs need a space to understand and prepare for that shift, not five years from now, but now.

You often describe this initiative as being about “relevance.” What does relevance mean in a manufacturing context?

Relevance today is not defined by output alone. It is defined by how you produce, how digitally visible your operations are, how secure your systems are, how compliant your processes are and how resilient your plant is to disruption.

Global buyers are no longer evaluating suppliers only on price or quality. They are evaluating process maturity, data integrity, cybersecurity posture, ESG alignment and continuity risk. Manufacturing Reimagined helps SME founders see these expectations clearly and act on them deliberately.

How is Manufacturing Reimagined different from a conventional Industry 4.0 or automation-focused event?

Automation and digital tools are enablers, not outcomes.

Manufacturing Reimagined is not about showcasing machines or technology for its own sake. It is about helping SMEs build future-ready manufacturing systems: where automation, data, cybersecurity, compliance and people work together.

We frame manufacturing as a systems challenge and a risk-management challenge, not just a productivity upgrade. That shift in framing is what makes the initiative distinct.

Risk appears to be an underlying theme here as well. How does risk thinking integrate into manufacturing transformation?

Every transformation introduces new risks: operational, cyber, regulatory and even talent-related. Ignoring these risks doesn’t make them disappear; it only makes them more expensive later.

Manufacturing Reimagined integrates risk awareness into transformation conversations early. When SMEs understand how digitalisation, automation and connected systems change their risk profile, they make smarter, staged and sustainable investments rather than reactive ones.

Risk awareness is not a constraint on growth; it is a multiplier for continuity.

Who is the ideal participant for Manufacturing Reimagined?

This initiative is designed for owner-founders, plant heads and decision-makers who are serious about long-term competitiveness.

Not necessarily large enterprises, but enterprises with intent, those who want to remain relevant to global supply chains, attract skilled talent, meet tightening compliance standards and protect their operations from disruption.

It speaks to manufacturers who are asking what next, not just what now.

There is often anxiety among SMEs around automation and digital transformation. How does this initiative address that?

The fear is not technology, it is uncertainty.

Manufacturing Reimagined replaces uncertainty with clarity. It helps SMEs understand where to start, what to prioritise and what to defer. It encourages thoughtful evolution rather than rushed transformation.

When founders see transformation as a journey, not a leap , they regain control.

How does ‘Manufacturing Reimagined’ fit within your broader vision at Amanhã Idealabs?

At Amanhã Idealabs, our focus has always been on helping enterprises prepare for tomorrow. Manufacturing Reimagined sits at the heart of that mission.

It complements Cargo Corridors, which addresses how goods move across borders, and our risk-awareness initiatives, which protect what could break. Together, they form a coherent ecosystem that supports SMEs from factory floor to global markets, with resilience at the core.

If you had to summarise the philosophy of Manufacturing Reimagined in one line, what would it be?

Manufacturing Reimagined is about helping Indian SMEs stay relevant as factories become smarter, regulations tighter and competition truly global.

As Indian manufacturing enters a phase where relevance matters more than raw scale, initiatives like Manufacturing Reimagined reflect a deeper shift in how competitiveness is being defined. The future will favour SMEs that think systemically, invest deliberately and treat resilience not as an afterthought, but as a core design principle.