Aether Industries, one of India’s leading specialty chemical manufacturers, has partnered with Dow India to launch a collaborative research program aimed at developing advanced silicone manufacturing technologies in India.
The strategic collaboration brings together Aether’s research and manufacturing expertise with Dow’s global leadership in silicone applications to accelerate innovation in high-performance materials. The initiative is expected to create significant opportunities for indigenous technology development and strengthen India’s capabilities in advanced materials manufacturing.
Silicones play a critical role across a wide range of industries, including construction, mobility and transportation, electronics, healthcare, and personal care. The joint research program will focus on developing new manufacturing technologies for silicones, with research and pilot-scale development activities to be conducted at Aether’s R&D and pilot facilities in Surat, Gujarat.
The partnership marks one of India’s dedicated collaborative research efforts focused on advancing silicone manufacturing technologies and establishes a long-term framework for potential commercialization and industrial-scale production of innovations emerging from the program.
Commenting on the collaboration, Aman Desai, Co-Founder and Director, Research and Operations, Aether Industries, said: “We are delighted that Dow has chosen Aether as its exclusive research partner for this pioneering program.
"The collaboration brings together Aether’s core chemistry and technology competencies with Dow, one of the global leaders in silicone applications. We are confident this partnership will deliver innovative manufacturing technologies while creating a long-term platform to address India’s rapidly expanding silicone materials market.”
“This collaboration strengthens Dow’s ability to bring materials science innovation closer to high-growth markets and evolving customer needs,” said Brendy Lange, President of Dow Performance Materials & Coatings.
“By combining capabilities, we see an opportunity to accelerate innovation and create differentiated silicone solutions for customers in India and beyond.”
“Innovation is most valuable when it advances future ready growth.” said Mukund Parthasarathy, Business Vice President of R&D, Dow Performance Materials & Coatings.
"Through this collaborative approach, we can move faster from science to scalable technologies, helping address market demand while unlocking future business opportunities in silicones.”
“India’s growing demand for advanced materials presents a strong opportunity to develop differentiated technologies closer to the market,” said Siddhartha Ghosal, Country President of Dow India.
“This program brings together strengths to create value for customers, support local innovation, and enable broader access to high-performance silicone solutions across industries.”
The collaboration reinforces India’s growing role in advanced materials research and highlights the potential for industry partnerships to drive technology development, innovation, and manufacturing capabilities within the country.
