Larsen & Toubro Automates Construction

Larsen & Toubro is making a significant strategic shift by heavily investing in automation, robotics, and 'digital workers' to overcome persistent manpower challenges and drive growth in the construction sector. Shankar Rajaram, the CFO of Larsen & Toubro, announced this at the Meritz Securities India Investors Conference 2026, highlighting the company's efforts over the past 3-4 years to automate tasks like welding, painting, and plastering using robots. This initiative aims to transform traditional labor-intensive methods into more factory-like processes with prefabricated and modular structures. The company's order book has grown substantially, and while its workforce has also expanded, labor availability remains a key challenge due to changing worker preferences and seasonal migration in India. Larsen & Toubro also leverages its extensive international experience, particularly in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates), to execute large-scale projects and adopt global best practices. The company aims to lead the construction industry's transformation through deeper and faster automation, which is also expected to significantly improve safety standards on construction sites.