In a significant step towards strengthening India’s capabilities in artificial intelligence, automation, and robotics, the country’s first Advanced Petrobot Robotics Research and Development Centre (RRDC Jaipur) has been inaugurated in Jaipur. Established under the ‘Rising Rajasthan’ initiative, the centre aims to develop autonomous and automated robots capable of performing critical tasks in hazardous industrial environments where human intervention is difficult or unsafe.
The newly established research facility will focus on designing and manufacturing advanced robotic systems for industries such as oil and gas, petrochemicals, power generation, steel manufacturing, and other heavy industrial sectors. These robots are expected to improve operational efficiency while significantly enhancing worker safety.
Investment of ₹10–12 Crore and Employment Generation
Petrobot had signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under the Rising Rajasthan initiative, committing an investment of approximately ₹10–12 crore and the creation of around 50 employment opportunities.
Petrobot Founder Sahab Singh stated that the research centre is now fully operational. He also revealed that the company’s robotic solutions had recently been deployed at the Pachpadra Refinery to identify and address technical issues, demonstrating the practical application of its technology in large-scale industrial operations.
Centre Inaugurated by Minister Jawahar Singh Bedham
The research centre was inaugurated on Saturday, July 12, by Rajasthan Minister of State for Home Affairs, Jawahar Singh Bedham.
Speaking at the inauguration, Bedham said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisioned transforming India into a developed nation by 2047, and the Rajasthan government is actively working towards that objective. He added that Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma has initiated several measures aligned with the vision of a developed Rajasthan and emphasized that achieving the goals of Viksit Bharat and Viksit Rajasthan would require collective efforts from the government, industry, and citizens.
Robots to Improve Safety in High-Risk Industrial Environments
According to Sahab Singh, industrial facilities such as oil and gas wells, large refineries, petrochemical plants, power stations, and steel factories contain confined spaces, deep storage tanks, and hazardous zones where toxic gases, radiation, or extreme temperatures make human access dangerous and, in many cases, life-threatening.
The autonomous robots being developed at the centre will use artificial intelligence, advanced sensors, and specialized scanning technologies to inspect these hazardous environments. By detecting structural defects and operational issues at an early stage, the robots can help industries reduce downtime, improve maintenance planning, and, most importantly, protect the lives of engineers and workers by minimizing the need for human entry into dangerous locations.
Strengthening India’s Position in Global Robotics
Sahab Singh, an engineering graduate from IIT (BHU), noted that the global robotics industry has traditionally been dominated by countries such as the United States, European nations, China, and Japan. He said India has largely been recognized as a software and coding powerhouse, but the launch of the Jaipur research centre marks an important shift towards advanced hardware engineering and industrial automation.
He added that the facility will serve as an integrated hub for both robotics research and manufacturing. The indigenous robots developed at the centre are expected to match international standards in technology while remaining significantly more cost-effective than many imported alternatives, enhancing their competitiveness in global markets.
The establishment of the Advanced Petrobot Robotics Research and Development Centre represents a significant milestone in India’s industrial robotics ecosystem and reinforces the country’s ambition to emerge as a global leader in advanced automation technologies.
