Technological sovereignty and focus on innovation: how robotics changing Belarusian industry

Industrial robotics is a strategic priority for Belarus. To accelerate the development of this sector, President Alexander Lukashenko signed a decree "On Stimulating Robotics." The key objectives are to assist enterprises in purchasing equipment and establishing their own production. The initial development of domestic robots is planned using components from leading global manufacturers, with their gradual localization at Belarusian enterprises.

A robot is man's best friend. Currently, smart assistants at Belarusian enterprises are the exception rather than the rule. There are targets that Belarusians are striving to achieve: 100 smart assistants per 10,000 industrial workers by 2030.

The first steps have been taken. The robot fleet at BELGEE has doubled – today, it comprises 76 intelligent assistants, and will increase to 150 after the launch of the new stamping shop. Doubling production capacity (to 120,000 vehicles per year) has already become a tangible result of the modernization.

Sergey Tradchik, Chief Technologist at BELGEE:

"Three body models are welded on the main welding line. In 2025, we carried out a rather significant modernization. Its goal was to increase the production capacity of the main welding line."

Welding operations are performed with meticulous precision by machines, producing 20 vehicles per hour. Launching in-house stamping of large body parts will reduce logistics costs and take localization to a new level.

"We are currently implementing a project to expand the welding shop and build a stamping shop, which will add approximately 70-80 robots," said Sergey Tradchik.

What until recently seemed like the technology of the future has now been implemented at the Grodno plant. Robotics is a common theme at Gronitex, almost literally. Smart machines process cotton and flax fiber with minimal human intervention.

Tatyana Sinevich, Production Manager at Gronitex OJSC:

"This is high-performance, semi-automated equipment. That is, most of the work is automated. Robotics are installed. Manual labor is present, but to a lesser extent."

This isn't just a replacement for manual labor, but the basis for creating products labeled "unique." This plant is the only one in the CIS to produce automotive cord thread—a development developed by the Grodno textile workers themselves. The share of innovation in the product range exceeds a third.

Vitaly Kovalev, Deputy Director and Chief Engineer at Gronitex OJSC:

"The company is implementing a major investment project to technically modernize two main workshops: the spinning and preparation departments. We are increasing production capacity by 4,500 square meters. We are purchasing additional equipment—approximately 18 units."

TVs with artificial intelligence are assembled at Gorizont. There are no analogues in the CIS or Europe. More than fifty robots work in a single digital network. From panel installation to final testing, every operation is controlled by machine vision.

Dmitry Malashkevich, Technical Director of the Gorizont holding company:

"This is all thanks to an automated testing system. While during human testing we checked 50 parameters of a TV, now we check up to 500 parameters, including sound and image."

Human resources are everything, and in the age of robotics, this principle is especially relevant. An educational and scientific center was recently opened, where these same specialists will master industrial robotics directly at the machine tools. The state, in turn, is creating favorable conditions: tax breaks for implementing companies and the development of domestic robot production. Future technologies are being born here and now, and Belarus is ready to be part of them.

Yuri Chebotar, Minister of Economy of Belarus:

"The President of our country has signed precisely this decree. It proposes three main areas of development. The first is support for the installation of robots. This will include corresponding incentives—an increased investment deduction, the ability to increase depreciation by a factor of 1.5, thereby reducing the tax burden, and a full VAT deduction. The second area is for those planning to manufacture robots in Belarus. This primarily involves the ability to import components and exempt them from VAT. The third important area is support for robotics engineering. This means the possibility of providing relevant consulting services related to robotics, including the provision of robots to our industrial enterprises."

You can't replace something if you don't train it. Where to place the comma is an economic question. Belarusian industry is embracing innovation, as the introduction of those same smart assistants means optimizing production, increasing profits, and improving quality. The human factor isn't about replacing workers, but rather about upgrading their skills and, as a result, expanding their horizons.