India's Bharat Forge signs MoU with Germany-based Agile Robots for AI-driven robotics and automation

Indian multinational Bharat Forge and Germany-based Agile Robots SE have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to explore a strategic collaboration in the field of AI-driven robotics and intelligent industrial automation.

The proposed Indo-German partnership will focus on deploying advanced automation and robotics solutions across civilian manufacturing sectors, including automotive, healthcare and consumer electronics. Both companies said the collaboration will remain exclusively aligned to civilian industry and manufacturing use cases.

Under the MoU, Bharat Forge and Agile Robots plan to jointly co-develop solutions, build capabilities and offer bespoke applications for manufacturing, industrial CPG and logistics. This will include adapting and deploying Agile Robots’ existing automation solutions for the India and Southeast Asia markets.

A key element of the partnership is the development and deployment of vision- and AI-based robotic systems, with Agile Robots expected to act as one of the strategic partners enabling fully autonomous, or “dark”, factory operations. The initiative is aimed at improving precision, efficiency and flexibility across entire production systems.

Commenting on the collaboration, Amit Kalyani, Vice Chairman and Joint Managing Director of Bharat Forge, said the partnership reinforces the company’s focus on advanced manufacturing technologies. “This strategic collaboration with Agile Robots is a reinforcement of Bharat Forge’s ambition to provide state-of-the-art intelligent robotic and automation solutions across multiple industries while driving manufacturing efficiencies at home. Manufacturing in India is on a steep growth path, and I am very excited that with Agile Robots we are going to deploy bespoke, modular and intelligent automation solutions across sectors,” he said.

Rory Sexton, Executive Director at Agile Robots, said the partnership would strengthen the company’s presence in India’s manufacturing ecosystem. “By partnering with Bharat Forge, Agile Robots is strengthening its position in India’s rapidly growing manufacturing sector. Combining Agile Robots’ proven leadership in AI-driven robotic automation with Bharat Forge’s sectoral expertise will allow us to improve the efficiency and precision of entire production systems,” he said.

Pune-based Bharat Forge is a technology-driven global supplier of safety-critical components and solutions across automotive, power, oil and gas, construction and mining, rail, marine, defence and aerospace sectors. The company has manufacturing operations across five countries and offers end-to-end capabilities from product design and engineering to manufacturing, testing and validation.

Founded in Munich in 2018 by robotics researchers from the German Aerospace Center, Agile Robots develops next-generation automation solutions that combine artificial intelligence and robotics.

The company employs more than 2,500 people across Germany, the US, China and India and operates one of the largest research and development teams in the AI and robotics industry. Through subsidiaries including audEERING, BÄR Automation, Franka Robotics and IdealWorks, Agile Robots covers a wide range of AI-driven robotic applications.