New Delhi, April 14 -- The unrest in Noida's industrial belt, with workers demanding higher wages, could accelerate automation on India's shop floors. As Indian manufacturing sector eyes global markets, the crisis highlights a deeper tension, between low-cost labour, rising wages and the push towards automation and robots. For manufacturers, the challenge will be to strike a balance to remain competitive. Mint takes a look.

The unrest in Noida industrial hub stems from demands for higher wages and better working conditions. Factory workers want salaries raised from around Rs.13,000 to Rs.18,000- Rs.20,000 per month, citing inflation and parity with workers in Haryana factories.

On 1 April, the Haryana government approved a 35% hike in m...