Gurgaon, Aug 13 (IANS): Former president APJ Abdul Kalam Tuesday highlighted the critical importance of manufacturing and technology in transforming India into a developed nation.

India is witnessing a wave of growth in manufacturing after its decline in the late 1990s. The current surge in the sector is touted to be much more promising than the first wave. But as this is slated to be more skills-intensive, technology and innovation would play a crucial role, Kalam said.

He was speaking before engineers and industry leaders on the role of manufacturing in India's transformation to a developed nation at the Rockwell Automation On the Move 2013 (RAOTM-2013) exposition-cum-conference here.

Kalam outlined how the phenomenon of sustainable competitiveness, convergence of technologies and culture of excellence had assumed a pivotal role and stressed the need for creative leadership and ethical practices.

Industry leaders like Dilip Sawhney, regional director of Rockwell, said India was well poised to take advantage of this shift.

Frank Kulaszewicz, senior vice president, RA Global Operations, said Rockwell was focused on the biggest emerging markets such as India where there was a rapid growth due to the increased rate of urbanization and this had opened huge prospects for Rockwell's products and solutions.

"Rockwell expects 60 per cent of its global revenues to flow from non-US markets, especially the emerging markets, by 2013-14," he said.

Tom O' Reilly, president, Asia-Pacific, Rockwell Automation, said the US-based company planned to put in some investments in the Research and Development sector and expand its tie-up with partners as India has "an immense potential in the industrial automation market".