India’s 425Mta cement industry, now in its 104th year of existence, plays a pivotal role not only in the country’s growth but also on the global stage. With an output of 280Mta in 2017, it is the world’s second-largest producer and supplies the second-most populous country. How does it view its future? By Ashutosh Saxena, National Council for Cement and Building Materials, India.
As a fast-developing nation, India requires an increasing volume of cement. A large share, some 64 per cent, of this market demand is needed by the housing sector, with commercial construction accounting for a further 14 per cent, infrastructure 13 per cent and industrial construction 14 per cent.