BEIJING, Aug. 23 (China Economic Net) - A Pakistani company is exploring Chinese robotics solutions for automotive production as demand for industrial automation grows in the country, according to M. Irfan Dhedhi, a representative of a trading company affiliated with Pakistan’s Atlas Group.

Speaking at the 2026 World Robot Conference in Beijing, Dhedhi from Shirazi Trading Company said the company was looking for automation solutions, particularly robotic arms, for assembly lines, welding and other industrial applications.

“Previously it was a very costly solution,” he said. “Now we find some cost-effective solutions.” The company has already ordered several robots from a Chinese supplier, which are expected to arrive in Pakistan soon, he said.

Dhedhi said his company is involved in automotive business in Pakistan, where Atlas Group is a joint-venture partner of Honda. During the conference, he also discussed potential cooperation with a China-Japan joint-venture robotics company that has about 30 years of experience in China’s automotive sector.

The two sides discussed applying robotic solutions to automotive production in Pakistan. The Chinese company said it would share relevant cases and applications, including welding, spot welding, painting and palletizing, before further business talks.

The discussions highlight a particular challenge for automation in Pakistan. While labor costs remain relatively low, automotive manufacturing has a strong demand for robots because of the need for consistent, stable and safe production. Robots are widely used for repetitive processes such as welding, regardless of whether factories produce internal-combustion or electric vehicles.

For Chinese robotics suppliers, Pakistan could therefore represent a different type of market from China, where rising labor costs have been an important driver of automation. In Pakistan, affordability remains critical, but some manufacturing processes may require automation even where manual labor is relatively inexpensive.

Pakistan has also been seeking to develop its robotics and automation ecosystem. The government held the Indus Robotics and Autonomous Systems Expo in July, bringing together industry, academia, startups and investors to promote applications of robotics and autonomous systems across sectors including manufacturing.

The emerging contacts between Pakistani manufacturers and Chinese robotics companies suggest that cooperation could extend beyond technology demonstrations to equipment purchases, industrial applications and potential longer-term partnerships.