Dynamics of Change in the Global Robotics Market. World Robotics 2026 according to *IFR

By the end of 2025, as many as 5 million industrial robots were already operating in manufacturing plants around the world. This is more than twice as many as seven years earlier.

In 2025, factories worldwide installed more than 600,000 new robots, while the number of operational machines increased by 9 percent.

China remains the biggest driver of global robotics adoption. In 2025, around 354,000 industrial robots were installed there, accounting for as much as 59 percent of all new installations worldwide. This represents a 20 percent increase compared with 2024.

The five largest markets – China, the USA, Japan, South Korea and Germany – together accounted for 80% of all new robot installations.

The global robotics market is becoming increasingly differentiated. China is strengthening its lead, the USA is accelerating, India is closing the gap, while Europe is experiencing stagnation in robotics adoption, alongside increased process automation in other areas.

In 2025, the total number of industrial robots operating in factories across the European Union exceeded 700,000 units.

Germany remains the largest European market. In 2025, 24,842 new industrial robots were installed there, accounting for 41 percent of all installations in the European Union. Italy, France and Spain followed.

According to forecasts, a recovery in the European robotics market is not expected until 2027. Until then, automation remains a key way for the region to maintain its competitiveness by addressing rising production costs and labour shortages.

The distribution of industries with the fastest growth in the number of industrial robots is changing. Just 10 years ago, the automotive industry was the undisputed leader, accounting for 38% of new installations. Today, automotive accounts for 23%, electronics for 24%, while 53% represents other industries.

Here too, there is significant regional variation. In China, the metal and machinery industry has caught up with automotive in terms of the number of new robots installed, while the highest demand continues to come from the electrical and electronics industry.

In the USA, automotive remains the largest consumer of robots, while the food industry recorded the strongest growth. The automotive industry in India recorded the highest increase in the number of robots, although the growth was lower than a year earlier. At the same time, the electronics as well as metal and machinery industries grew the fastest.

The report’s authors predict that global demand for robots will maintain its long-term upward trend. The number of installations is forecast to increase by 9% in 2026, reaching 655,000 units, and to reach 806,000 units in 2029.