By: ICN Bureau
Last updated : March 21, 2025 10:35 am
The demand growth is expected to be lower at about 3.5-4% which will result in significant surpluses, offering a huge potential for exports
India’s Caustic Soda capacity is pegged at 57.85 Lakhs MT (LMT) and is expected to grow by 9.1% CAGR to reach 89.26 LMT in next five years whereas Soda Ash is expected to grow by 4.1% CAGR in next five years to reach 53.71 Lakhs MT from the current 43.96 LMT, said Ajay Virmani, President, Alkali Manufacturers Association of India (AMAI) in his inaugural address at the two day annual conference organized by AMAI on the theme - Alkali Industry - Trends, Developments, and Outlook at Taj Skyline in Ahmedabad.
"The demand growth is expected to be lower at about 3.5-4% which will result in significant surpluses, offering a huge potential for exports," Virmani added.
He opined that India is poised to play a leading role in the global alkali market due to its significant domestic demand and strategic position in the global supply chain. “However, we are also witnessing high energy costs, raw material availability issues, and regulatory pressures that demand attention. As we continue to grow, we must balance development with sustainability—something we will dive into throughout this conference," Virmani added.
As an industry, we must keep a close watch on how international markets evolve, from the impact of environmental regulations to raw material sourcing and the demand for greener technologies and we must ensure that we are in a position to adapt and innovate in response to these changing dynamics, he said.
Chief Guest of the conference, Avantika Singh Aulakh, Secretary to Chief Minister of Gujarat and Managing Director, Gujarat Alkalies and Chemicals Limited (GACL) said, "We have to work in a united way to ensure the success of the Alkali industry going forward by co-creating and co-solving the problems of the industry."
Aditya Shriram, Vice President, AMAI and Deputy Managing Director, DCM Shriram Limited said, "We have to focus on two things - Sustainability and Safety. Sustainability is talked about everywhere but Safety is more important in our industry as we are dealing in hazardous chemicals so whatever work we do on safety is not adequate. There can be a lot of learning and sharing across all members of the industry going forward."
On the first day there were three sessions - Market outlook, growth prospects of consumer industries, and emerging technology developments.
The first session focused on the international market where experts talked about the global and Indian market outlook for the Chlor-Alkali industry - Caustic Soda, Soda Ash, and PVC markets, as these continue to be central to the industry’s trajectory.
Session II focused on the status and growth prospects of consumer industries in India. Focus was on sectors like solar energy, lithium mining, and advanced plastics which are fueling new demand for alkali products. These sectors are growing at an extraordinary pace, and the alkali industry must ensure that these sectors are well supported so that the industry can benefit from their expansion.
The third session discussed emerging technology developments where focus was on innovations in electrolysis systems, membranes, fluoropolymers, and electrode coatings which are reshaping operations and making them more efficient and sustainable. These technological advancements are critical for making the industry competitive in both domestic and international markets.
The conference saw a participation of approximately 300 delegates from about 125 companies from 10 countries and was supported by the Department of Chemicals & Petrochemicals (DCPC), Government of India.