More than 150 government, industry, and utility representatives gathered at the Bharat Electricity Summit 2026 in New Delhi for a vendor development session called “Advancing Make in India for Power Distribution” with the goal of enhancing domestic power sector skills. The Central Electricity Authority, the Ministry of Power, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, the distribution companies (DISCOMs), the original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), the suppliers, and industry groups like the Indian Electrical and Electronics Manufacturers’ Association were all present at the session, which was co-hosted by REC Limited and Power Finance Corporation. As the knowledge partner, KPMG was involved.
T. S. C. Bosh gave the opening remarks and detailed the strategy plan for strengthening indigenous manufacturing in power distribution during the session, which was chaired by Shashank Misra.
Top practices, according to IEEMA and prominent DISCOMs, include SCADA indigenisation and the use of AI/ML to improve operational efficiency.
Pranav Tayal, Saurav Kumar Shah, and Prabhat Kumar Singh were part of a panel that discussed India’s preparedness to increase local production and decrease reliance on imports. Underground wiring with GIS-based fault management, deployment of compact substations, adoption of Real-Time Data Acquisition Systems (RT-DAS), and integration of SCADA-DMS-OMS systems were important areas of focus.
If large-scale distribution networks are to be reliable and resilient, the panellists stressed the importance of strong standards, interoperability, and improved testing infrastructure.
Ravi Dhawan gave the final remarks, which emphasised the significance of stakeholders working together, to close the session.
In order to realise the goal of a developed India by 2047—one that places a premium on power sector technological improvement and self-sufficiency—the summit remains an essential venue for bringing together utilities, government, and industry.
