At the recent Bentley Illuminate Mumbai 2026, DailyCADCAM Editor Sachin Nalawade sat down for an exclusive interview with Mr. Kaushik Chakraborty, Senior Vice President of Asia Pacific at Bentley Systems. Their in-depth conversation explored Bentley’s vision for AI-powered infrastructure engineering, digital twins, open platforms, and sustainable urban development. Chakraborty also highlighted the critical roles of engineering education and advanced technology in accelerating India’s infrastructure journey toward a self-reliant, developed nation – Viksit Bharat 2047.

DailyCADCAM: What would be your message to Indian infrastructure professionals, engineering companies, and delegates attending Bentley Illuminate Mumbai 2026?

Kaushik Chakraborty: While India and the broader global market face a shortage of engineers, there is certainly no shortage of infrastructure data and projects. The real challenge today is how effectively we can harness that data through digital intelligence to meet complex, future-ready infrastructure demands. Across transportation systems, smart cities, utilities, water infrastructure, railways, roads, airports, or urban development, data has emerged as the single most vital asset for modern infrastructure organizations.

Bentley Systems is uniquely positioned to bridge this gap by transforming raw engineering information into actionable intelligence. Our solutions actively support India’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and its strategy for infrastructure-led economic growth. We are deeply aligned with pivotal national initiatives such as PM Gati Shakti, the Smart Cities Mission, Jal Jeevan Mission, Amrut and other large-scale transportation and urban infrastructure programs across the country.

Illuminate Mumbai 2026 served as a premier platform for Bentley executives, industry leaders, engineering consultants, and users to explore how Bentley’s open, interoperable digital twin technologies are driving superior project outcomes. Through technologies such as Bentley Infrastructure Cloud, the iTwin Platform, and our comprehensive suite of engineering applications – MicroStation, STAAD, PLS, OpenRoads, OpenFlows Water, OpenUtilities SubStation, and PLAXIS – we are helping Indian engineers gain better control over their data, workflows, and operational decision-making.

Could you provide an overview of Bentley Systems’ mission and explain how the company is contributing to the advancement of infrastructure engineering globally through digital technologies and engineering innovation?

Bentley Systems is fundamentally committed to advancing global infrastructure. What truly distinguishes us in the market is our singular focus. Unlike technology providers that serve multiple sectors, Bentley channels its entire innovation engine, research, and technical expertise exclusively into infrastructure and the professionals who design, build, and operate the world’s most critical assets.

Our mission is to empower engineers, asset owners, contractors, operators, and public agencies with the digital intelligence required to build resilient, sustainable, and future-ready infrastructure. We provide comprehensive support across the entire asset lifecycle: from planning and conceptual design to construction execution, operations, and long-term performance optimization.

Today’s infrastructure projects are becoming increasingly complex. Cities are expanding rapidly, transportation systems are evolving, climate challenges are growing, and public expectations for sustainable infrastructure are higher than ever. Bentley delivers the digital engineering platforms and technologies necessary to meet these challenges head-on. We enable seamless, connected workflows that turn vast amounts of data into informed, strategic decisions.

At the core of this strategy is the digital twin. More than just a static model, digital twins serve as dynamic, intelligent representations of physical assets. By connecting engineering models with real-world operational and environmental data, we empower infrastructure professionals to visualize, analyze, monitor, and optimize assets across the entire lifecycle.

Our digital twin capabilities integrate highly diverse data streams, including LiDAR, photogrammetry, IoT sensors, drone-based reality capture, and subsurface intelligence. By combining these into a single source of truth, organizations gain a profound understanding of their assets, allowing them to act faster and with greater precision.

Whether it is a railway network, airport, metro system, highway corridor, water utility, industrial facility, or smart city project, Bentley technologies drive cross-discipline collaboration, reduce project risks, optimize asset performance, and enhance long-term operational sustainability.

Ultimately, our vision goes far beyond software. Bentley’s goal is to improve quality of life around the world by supporting the development of safer, smarter, and more resilient infrastructure. Infrastructure is the backbone of economic growth and social development, and Bentley Systems is proud to play a role in helping shape the future of global infrastructure engineering.

Artificial Intelligence is now transforming every industry globally. From Bentley Systems’ perspective, how is AI being integrated into infrastructure engineering workflows, and how are Bentley products helping engineers, consultants, and infrastructure owners become more productive?

At Bentley Systems, our AI strategy is not focused on a single product or short-term initiative. Instead, we have defined multiple strategic AI themes that will shape our technology and product roadmap over the next three to five years.

Our immediate priority is identifying areas where AI can significantly reduce manual tasks within infrastructure engineering workflows. Drawing production is a prime example. Across infrastructure projects, engineering firms spend a large percentage of project time on manual drawing generation and repetitive documentation. Through AI-enabled capabilities integrated into products such as MicroStation, OpenSite+, and other Bentley applications, we are helping to automate these processes.

If firms currently spend 25 to 35 percent of their time on manual drafting, and we can reduce that effort significantly through AI, then we are giving organizations enormous productivity gains. Engineers can spend more time solving complex problems instead of handling repetitive drafting tasks.

Additionally, as highlighted during our recent keynotes, we are rolling out Bentley Copilot across our broader portfolio. Designed to function seamlessly within our ecosystem, the objective of Bentley Copilot is not to replace engineers, but to powerfully augment their capabilities and accelerate decision-making.

Engineering organizations have decades of engineering standards, workflows, best practices, and project intelligence. AI gives us the ability to preserve and utilize that knowledge. For example, a company may have half a century of engineering experience captured across different projects. By tapping into archived project data, AI empowers engineers to reuse successful engineering approaches while avoiding past mistakes.

Looking ahead, we are also investing in generative design capabilities and agentic workflows, where AI can assist users in automating engineering tasks and workflows across the infrastructure lifecycle. AI is becoming an integrated capability across everything Bentley does, from design and construction to operations and maintenance.

Infrastructure projects are highly complex and involve long project lifecycles. Unlike industries such as automotive or aerospace, infrastructure data is distributed across multiple stakeholders and systems. How does Bentley Systems help organizations utilize historical infrastructure data and AI for asset management and infrastructure operations?

We have a major focus area around asset analytics and infrastructure lifecycle management, spanning sectors such as telecommunications, utilities, power transmission, transportation networks, water systems, and urban infrastructure.

One of the most important applications is as-built analysis using drones, computer vision, and AI-powered asset inspection technologies. For example, drone-based reality capture and advanced AI algorithms help us quickly identify infrastructure assets, analyse their condition, and monitor operational performance.

In road networks, we are increasingly using dashcam data and crowdsourced visual information. AI algorithms process this information to identify pavement issues, maintenance requirements, road damage, and operational risks much faster than traditional inspection methods.

Similarly, across the telecommunications and utility sectors, AI-powered asset analytics help operators monitor towers, substations, transmission lines, and infrastructure networks far more effectively.

Bentley Systems has strengthened these capabilities further through targeted acquisitions such as Talon Aerolytics and Pointivo. These technologies allow us to integrate AI-driven asset analytics across multiple infrastructure sectors. Ultimately, our goal is to support the complete design-build-operate lifecycle using AI-enabled intelligence.

India is witnessing massive investments in roads, railways, airports, metros, utilities, smart cities, and manufacturing infrastructure. How do you view the Indian infrastructure market and its long-term growth potential?

I am extremely optimistic about the Indian infrastructure market. India has a very ambitious infrastructure vision, with projects becoming larger, more complex, and more technologically advanced every year.

Infrastructure is undoubtedly one of the most critical pillars for economic growth. You cannot build a multi-trillion-dollar economy without world-class infrastructure. Manufacturing growth requires transportation networks, logistics systems, ports, airports, utilities, railways, roads, and digital infrastructure.

India’s growth vision under Viksit Bharat 2047 is very significant because it establishes a long-term roadmap for national development. We are seeing a powerful, sustained commitment from the Government of India toward infrastructure expansion, which is already driving enormous transformation across multiple sectors.

For Bentley Systems, this is an exciting time because we see India rapidly emerging as one of the most important and dynamic infrastructure markets globally.

Bentley Systems strongly promotes open platforms and interoperability. How important is openness and collaboration in modern infrastructure engineering workflows?

As infrastructure projects grow larger and more complex, no single technology vendor can solve every challenge independently. Every infrastructure project involves multiple disciplines, software environments, stakeholders, and organizations.

Our core philosophy at Bentley Systems has always been openness and interoperability. We believe true collaboration yields far better outcomes for the industry and for society. Infrastructure ultimately serves citizens and public communities, so it is essential that technologies work together seamlessly.

To support this, Bentley has invested heavily in open digital twin architectures and open data environments. In fact, our Bentley DGN format has been open for decades, reflecting our long-standing commitment to interoperability with technologies from multiple vendors and platforms.

Through our iTwin platform and open infrastructure ecosystem, users can easily integrate data from different engineering tools, GIS systems, ERP systems, IT environments, and operational platforms. This openness becomes critical as infrastructure workflows become more connected and data-driven.

What advice would you give to engineering students and young professionals preparing for careers in AI-driven infrastructure engineering?

One promising trend we are seeing today is the renewed appreciation for core engineering disciplines such as civil engineering, mechanical and electrical engineering, mathematics, and physics. Infrastructure engineering is opening up tremendous opportunities for young professionals in India.

Bentley Systems remains deeply committed to engineering education. We provide our software to universities and students without charging licensing fees. We also have a dedicated education team in India that works closely with engineering colleges, universities, and infrastructure companies.

Today, we are creating three-way collaborations among Bentley Systems, engineering project delivery firms, and universities. This approach allows students to learn Bentley technologies through the lens of real-world infrastructure projects rather than just theoretical concepts.

Modern engineering education must become more practical and industry-aligned. Today’s students want to become job-ready quickly. Organizations also expect graduate engineers to contribute effectively from day one of their careers.

By integrating real-world workflows, internships, practical engineering exposure, and digital engineering technologies into the learning ecosystem, we are helping universities bridge the gap between education and employment. Bentley Learn also provides self-guided learning opportunities where students can continuously upgrade and future-proof their skills.

Digital twins have become one of the most discussed technologies in infrastructure engineering. Could you explain what a digital twin really means and share some examples of digital twin implementation in India?

A digital twin is a continuously updated digital representation of a physical infrastructure asset throughout its entire lifecycle.

Traditionally, engineering organizations build highly detailed 3D models during the design phase, only for those models to sit idle once construction is complete. Contractors may make modifications during construction, but those changes are not always reflected back into the engineering models.

The core concept of a digital twin is to keep engineering intelligence alive and active throughout an asset’s lifespan, from design and construction to operations and maintenance.

An excellent real-world example of this in India is Orange City Water in Nagpur. They have built an extensive GIS-based water management and hydrology network powered by Bentley WaterSight. The system integrates GIS data, operational systems, engineering models, sensors, and water distribution intelligence into a unified digital environment.

This allows operators to monitor water flow, analyze valve operations, identify maintenance issues, and proactively minimize service disruptions. Instead of shutting down large areas unnecessarily, operators can make highly optimized operational decisions using digital twin intelligence.

Digital twins are not just about visualization. They are strategic tools that help organizations improve operations, maintenance, planning, and decision-making across the entire infrastructure lifecycle.

Urban flooding, stormwater management, and drainage challenges are becoming major issues in Indian cities. Can technology help solve these challenges?

The technology to solve many of these problems absolutely exists today. Often, the challenge is not the technology itself, but coordination, awareness, and alignment among diverse agencies and stakeholders.

Many infrastructure issues arise because different organizations operate independently without integrated planning. Metro projects, road construction, drainage systems, utilities, and urban development activities all directly impact each other.

To bridge this gap, Bentley Systems is collaborating with multiple urban bodies and municipal agencies across India to improve integrated planning, stormwater modeling, sewer network management, and urban infrastructure coordination.

At the same time, we must recognize that India is undergoing one of the largest infrastructure expansion programs in the world. Large-scale construction activities inevitably create temporary disruptions during development phases. However, long-term outcomes can be transformational, as we are already seeing with projects like Mumbai Metro and other urban transportation systems.

Many people believe Bentley products are mainly used by large infrastructure organizations and multinational consultants. What solutions does Bentley offer for smaller engineering companies and consultants?

Bentley products are not designed only for large enterprises. In fact, we have thousands of small engineering firms and consultants using Bentley technologies today.

Over the last few years, we have introduced highly affordable subscription models and flexible licensing options to make Bentley technologies accessible to even the smallest engineering firms.

MicroStation, in particular, has seen strong growth among smaller engineering firms in India. Many organizations are using it not only for local projects but also for international engineering services work.

MicroStation has always been a very powerful geospatially-native 3D engineering platform. While users historically associated CAD software primarily with basic 2D drafting, the industry is rapidly transitioning toward intelligent 3D infrastructure workflows, an area where MicroStation provides a distinct competitive advantage.

Finally, what message would you like to share with DailyCADCAM readers, especially civil engineers, architects, infrastructure professionals, and the next generation of engineers?

My message is very simple: this is one of the most exciting times to be part of the infrastructure industry. Indian engineers are solving some of the world’s most complex infrastructure challenges globally, and we can certainly solve the same challenges right here at home.

Technology exists today to address most infrastructure engineering problems. What we need is willingness, collaboration, continuous learning, and practical implementation.

The younger generation is eager to learn and adapt quickly to new technologies. Engineering education is evolving rapidly, and AI will further accelerate infrastructure development in India.

Viksit Bharat 2047 is absolutely achievable if India’s engineering community, young professionals, infrastructure organizations, and government bodies work together with a shared vision.

Bentley Systems remains fully committed to supporting India’s infrastructure transformation journey through digital engineering, AI-driven workflows, digital twins, open platforms, and practical technology innovation.

_________________

The interaction with Kaushik Chakraborty provided valuable insights into how Bentley Systems is helping drive India’s infrastructure transformation through AI, digital twins, open digital platforms, infrastructure lifecycle management, and engineering education initiatives. His vision highlights the importance of collaboration, interoperability, practical technology adoption, and digital intelligence in building smarter and more sustainable infrastructure ecosystems for the future.

DailyCADCAM sincerely thanks Mr. Kaushik Chakraborty, Senior Vice President – Asia Pacific, Bentley Systems, for sharing his valuable time, industry insights, and vision during Bentley Illuminate Mumbai 2026. We also thank the Bentley Systems India team for facilitating this insightful interaction and look forward to continuing discussions on emerging technologies shaping the future of global infrastructure engineering.