Digital transformation of Russian industry is proceeding more slowly than expected, despite official statements about high share of domestic software in a number of industries. Olga Soldatkina, a Researcher of the International Best Practices Analysis Department at the Gaidar Institute, commented it to Nezavisimaya gazeta.
According to the expert, formal import substitution in the IT sector does not mean a full-fledged digital transformation of enterprises. Despite government statements about transferring up to 90% of production and management processes to domestic software, the actual implementation of digital solutions in the industry is proceeding much more slowly.
Olga Soldatkina cites data from the Ministry of Industry and Trade as an example: in December 2025, only 39% of companies in the electronics industry used domestic computer-aided design (CAD) systems. This, she believes, demonstrates the continued dependence on foreign solutions in key technological chains.
"The problem is not only in the availability of Russian software alternatives, but also in their compatibility. Business software is always an ecosystem of solutions that are, at a minimum, compatible with each other," Olga Soldatkina emphasized.
She believes, the use of foreign software in basic design and product lifecycle management (CAD and PLM) systems actually slows down the implementation of domestic developments, as new solutions prove incompatible with the existing infrastructure.
Speaking about prospects, Olga Soldatkina recalled the "New Industrial Software" roadmap, which calls for creation of approximately 2,300 new software products in the CAD and PLM segments in Russia by 2030. However, the speaker points out that even domestic solutions from different developers may not be fully compatible with each other.
"To overcome the fragmentation of IT solutions, it is necessary to bear the costs of their integration. Successful integration and maintenance of such systems require high-level engineering and IT competencies, while their shortage also impacts the pace of industrial digitalization," concluded Olga Soldatkina.