It was a simple request that turned into an unforgettable lesson in the future.An Indian businessman visiting Shanghai recently checked into a five-star hotel after a long day of meetings. Settling into his room, he called housekeeping and requested shaving kit and other toiletries.About twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang. When he opened the door, to his surprise, the corridor appeared empty. As he looked around, his eyes fell on a small object near the floor.Standing there was a robot barely one-and-a-half feet tall.The machine began speaking in English, in a Chinese accent. At first, he could not understand what it was saying. Then the words became clear: “Open the lid on my head. Open the lid on my head.” Curious, he lifted a small compartment built into the robot’s head. Inside were all the toiletries he had ordered. After taking the items, he closed the lid. The robot immediately responded, “Thank you,” turned around and sped away down the corridor towards the elevators.The businessman was astonished. “What shocked me was not the robot itself,” he later remarked. “It was the fact that nobody in the hotel seemed to think it was unusual.”

That small encounter captures a larger reality. China has moved from being the world’s factory to becoming one of the world’s most ambitious laboratories for robotics and artificial intelligence. Across Chinese cities today, robots deliver food in restaurants, transport medical supplies in hospitals, guide shoppers in malls and carry room-service items in hotels.According to the International Federation of Robotics, China had more than 2 million industrial robots operating in factories by 2024, the largest installed robotic workforce in the world. Chinese factories installed nearly 295,000 new industrial robots in 2024 alone, representing more than half of global robot installations.China’s dominance extends even further into the field of humanoid robots. Industry reports indicate that Chinese companies accounted for between 85% and 95% of global humanoid robot shipments in 2025, with companies such as AgiBot, Unitree and UBTECH leading the industry. Chinese firms are estimated to have shipped over 13,000 humanoid robots globally during that period. Many of these robots are now being deployed in factories, warehouses, shopping centres and hospitality establishments. The speed of Chinese progress became dramatically visible at the World Humanoid Robot Games held in Beijing in August 2026.

A humanoid robot called Tiangong Ultra completed the 100-metre sprint in an astonishing 8.86 seconds, surpassing Usain Bolt’s human world record of 9.58 seconds. Only a few years ago, most humanoid robots struggled simply to walk without falling.For many observers, it was a sign that robotic capabilities are advancing far faster than most governments and militaries had anticipated. The most serious implications of China’s robotics revolution may not lie in hotels or factories, but on future battlefields.Recent investigations by Reuters and other publications have revealed that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is actively studying military applications for humanoid robots. Chinese military institutions are testing how such machines could assist troops in reconnaissance, logistics, casualty evacuation, patrol duties, urban warfare scenarios and as “combatants” operating alongside human soldiers.China’s state-owned defence giant Norinco has already showcased humanoid military systems intended for reconnaissance and remote operations. Meanwhile, military researchers are exploring how robots could carry supplies, infiltrate dangerous zones and operate in environments where human casualties would otherwise be likely.It is important to note that there is currently no public evidence that armed humanoid robots have been operationally deployed in frontline PLA units. Experts remain skeptical about near-term battlefield deployment because of limitations involving batteries, reliability, communications and autonomous decision-making.

Yet the direction of travel is unmistakable.As military planners worldwide learned from the Russia-Ukraine and also the Iran-US conflict, autonomous systems are increasingly changing warfare. Drones now perform surveillance, targeting and attack missions. Ground robots transport ammunition, retrieve wounded soldiers and conduct dangerous reconnaissance tasks. Humanoid robots may eventually become part of that expanding ecosystemThe India-China Robotics GapFor India, China’s progress presents both a challenge and a warning. The numbers reveal the scale of China’s lead. China’s operational stock of industrial robots exceeds 2 million machines, while India has roughly 52,570 industrial robots in operation. China installs nearly 295,000 industrial robots annually, compared with approximately 9,120 installations in India during 2024. In practical terms, China currently deploys about 38 times more industrial robots than India.The gap is even wider in humanoid robotics.While China has dozens of significant humanoid robot manufacturers producing thousands of robots annually, most Indian humanoid platforms remain in research, pilot testing or limited commercial deployment.Experts generally estimate that India trails China by roughly five to ten years in humanoid robot deployment and manufacturing capability. However, India remains considerably stronger in software engineering and AI talent than the raw robotics numbers suggest.

India is moving and companies such as Addverb Technologies, Ati Motors and Genrobotics are developing indigenous robotic systems for warehouses, manufacturing and public services. IIT Madras, IIT Bombay and IISc Bengaluru are conducting advanced research into humanoid robotics, sensors and autonomous systems. The Government of India has also unveiled a National Strategy on Robotics, identifying manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture and national security as priority sectors.For India, the most immediate military opportunity may not be humanoid fighting robots but autonomous logistics vehicles, surveillance systems, drones and robotic platforms capable of operating in high-altitudeHimalayan terrain.Future robotic systems could move ammunition, fuel, medical supplies and food to forward posts along the Line of Actual Control without exposing soldiers to harsh weather or enemy fire, where altitude and terrain often present challenges equal to those posed by an adversary.China is integrating robotics into every layer of society, from hospitality and manufacturing to logistics and potentially national defence.India still enjoys advantages in software, artificial intelligence and engineering talent. But unless those strengths are matched by investment in robotics manufacturing, military automation and advanced hardware development, the technological gap with China could widen further.For one surprised Indian businessman, the lesson came from a robot politely asking him to open a lid.For India as a nation, the lesson may be much bigger: in the emerging age of intelligent machines, technological leadership will increasingly shape economic power, military capability and strategic influence. The question is whether India can move fast enough to keep pace. 

(DAILY WORLD )