The lockdown announced by the Government to respond to the threat of a pandemic was a once in lifetime experience for India as a country. The Cement industry, taking cautious steps, responded to it using new age digital technologies. Here is a real story from Dalmia Cement, through an interview with Pramesh Arya, Executive Director- Marketing.
Vikas:When you restarted operations in April after the first phase of lockdown, what were the challenges you had to overcome and how did you manage?
Pramesh: On the manufacturing front, as you can imagine, there was an issue of getting manpower because like many other industries, we work with a significant number of contractual workers, who had started migrating by then. That became one challenge to start full scale operations.
Another challenge was on the logistics side. The underlying reasons are all the same but manifested differently in different areas. The trucks were available but drivers weren’t around. Then, while our transportation partners were willing to work with us, there was the issue of inter-state movement of materials. In certain areas, local people were trying to deny entry to everyone, not just trucks carrying cement but everyone who was an outsider. There was this apprehension, that we don’t want any risk of infection even if it is with good intent of ensuring our world keeps running. Similarly, in our warehousing and Godown operations, there were manpower issues.
Fortunately, our close relationship with our vendors and contractors helped us get priority treatment from them within the limitations that existed. It’s at times like these, when your relationship with your vendors and suppliers and contractors gets tested. It’s heartening to say we, together with our entire network of partners, were able to resolve most, if not all challenges that came our way on a day to day basis.
For our sales and Technical Services teams, movement in the market was obviously restricted. We quickly moved to a virtual connect program right from the beginning of the lockdown, and it is still in action today. Wherever a little bit of on-ground connect is possible locally – within the markets that were in green zones, our teams are in the field to work with our dealers while taking all precautions – masks, social distancing etc.
Vikas: – Were you able to foresee these issues, during February-March, or did they come as a shock?
Pramesh: – From the end of February but surely early March onwards, the signs were there- there were news reports from across the globe, on the way it has evolved in most countries. Everybody had this hope that India will escape mostly unscathed, like we did during H1N1. At the same time, there was always this likelihood we may have the same kind of scaling up of infections like in most countries. As a company, we wanted to ensure our business continuity plans were in place, and we started activating them at appropriate intervals.
Fortunately, Dalmia Cement has been on a major digital transformation journey across the company for the past few years – in many cases, before our industry itself started moving in this direction. During the lockdown, this preparation over the years helped tremendously.
Vikas: – How did you take care of the dealers because there must have been materials stuck either en route, or at your plants in silos or maybe in your warehouses? How was it taken care of, to protect everybody’s interests? Payments and cash flow must have become issues as well. So, how was this situation being handled?
Pramesh: – On stock movement, we followed government guidelines, and for the first few days, our network quietened down. As and when local conditions changed, we took actions that met both business and safety needs. On the stock in the market, given the fast movement of cement across the network, dealers in this industry keep limited stocks in terms of inventory. In rural areas, beyond the first few days, as it was clear that Covid19 wasn’t present, markets picked up even as the lockdown was in effect, with construction work resuming. In May, even government projects resumed work- they had to complete certain jobs before the monsoons, including important local municipal projects etc. So whatever stock the dealers were holding got liquidated quickly, and we had fresh demand from dealers. How we overcame this was that we did most of our sales and supplies directly to the sites. We switched more or less to 100 percent direct delivery. Even the dealer community appreciated that being done from the company’s side. For challenges such as these, our strong technology and logistics backbone helped.
On the collection side, yes, there was a challenge. As a company, we practice healthy fiscal practices, keeping both our and dealers’ interest in mind, and there isn’t a lot of credit floating in the market at any time. During the lockdown, unique challenges emerged. Dealers in small towns wanted to make payments, but there was no one to collect the cheque. In smaller towns, it’s still not all digital, and we worked on logistics on how to get the cheque sent to the bank. Again, as a company we have worked hard on ensuring digital payment adoption is at a high level, so these challenges were far and few between.
Vikas: – We have been hearing a lot about the social responsibility work executed by Dalmia Bharat Group in such kinds of situations and particularly, taking care of your stakeholders. Will you be able to say something on that? Pramesh: – The Dalmia Bharat Group has always been into nation building. We actively partner towards such issues at the national to the grassroots levels. As an organization, we contributed Rs. 25 crores to the PM-CARES Fund. Our employees also generously raised over Rs. 1.6 crores through one-day salary donations. Separately, in many different states, we contributed to CM funds; and donations to selected non-government organisations which were working at the grassroots were also enabled.
While we supported governments, it was important our stakeholders could rely on us for help. Our technical services teams quickly moved to identify groups or communities of labour who were stranded, because the lockdown came suddenly. Across the country, we put together supply chains to help them with rations and other needed items. Where construction was still on, we worked on matching available manpower with active sites. This was done at a micro level, matching projects and labours at say, the taluka level in every state we are present in. And almost every single officer has such wonderful stories to tell.
We quickly moved to engage the contractors’ community on Do’s and Don’ts at construction sites through Whatsapp. We organized webinars with doctors from chosen local hospitals so they could ask all that question about Covid19, including for dealers and their families.
For our dealers, we launched a program called ‘Dalmia Cares: Stay Home Stay Safe’ – we rolled out over 20 different activities over the course of the lockdown. Every other day, we had different activities to keep them engaged and entertained, to keep them in a positive spirit, including their family members.
Vikas: So, this was done digitally?
Pramesh: Wherever it was possible, fully digitally. For dealers, we run a platform called Dalmia Delight, which is used for loyalty and recognition programs. For all our other communities, our teams were in touch using Phone, Whatsapp and on ground help as it was required, keeping social distancing norms in mind.
Vikas: We will now come to the brand. When we talk of Dalmia, the mother brand- how do you look at building Dalmia as a brand and what are the attributes of the brand you feel people would like to remember it for?
Pramesh: As a brand, we have a legacy of 80 years. People around the country have placed their trust in us over generations. Last year, we built on this legacy, and launched a new brand positioning and identity, which positions the mother brand as Dalmia Cement ‘Future Today’.
As a brand, we are innovators and pioneers while being focussed on sustainability. Throughout the history of our organisation, we have been first to market with multiple products – we were the first company to launch oil well cement, railway sleeper cement and fast setting air strip cement.
As a company, our roots in sustainability are very deep. The CBP recognizes us as the world’s greenest cement company. Our CEO and MD, Mr. Mahendra Singhi, is a strong advocate of sustainability. He has represented India and our company on various global forums, including WEF, the global climate summit among others. And all this R&D, product launches have been possible only through technology.
As a brand, we want consumers to remember us for building next generation cement products; offering best in class, technology led service experience, and being able to choose the ‘greenest’ cement they can buy to build a home for life.
Vikas: – When we talk about the brand, even the packaging of cement becomes very important. The industry has been launching new packaging constantly. What’s your take on that?
Pramesh: Packaging has a functional role and a branding role. We launched BOPP packaging for our premium product, Dalmia DSP, many years ago, which is moisture resistant, tear resistant and improves the performance of the product because it keeps cement fresh for longer.
I think the important part in packaging, talking about going beyond, is the performance of packaging. So there what matters is the consistency of quality, your entire vendor network, the flexibility and stability of supplies. So that’s another strength we have, we are able to ensure that all the plants get the right amount of packaging with the right quality all the time. Because as a brand, you get tested with every bag in the market, if a bag tears, the brand takes the damage. So, it’s important to sustain that quality day after day, batch after batch and in every location.
We are always on the lookout for modern packaging techniques and engage with packaging companies around the world to find best in class alternatives for consumers.
Vikas: In the retail market in fact packaging becomes very important- it should appeal to a buyer otherwise cement as such is a mundane and routine product.
Pramesh: – While cement has traditionally been a low involvement product, today, not just in cement but across all categories in that context, it’s an opportunity. If we go back to the narrative we are presenting with Dalmia Cement Future Today, we have given a completely new identity to the bag with the same thinking – in this category, the bag is your first manifestation of the brand identity and a big one.
Our new bags are very vibrant looking, with standard colour codes and a focus on enticing the customer. When our bag is displayed at the dealers’ counter, we want it to inspire confidence in the consumer from the get-go.
Vikas: What can be done to improve the per capita consumption of cement in the country? If you compare to other countries, we’re at very, very lowest stage, ~250 kgs per capita?
Pramesh: Cement consumption is governed by two things, the housing sector and infrastructure. Being a rapidly developing country, we have a long way to go on both. Across the country in our villages, there is a lot of conversion happening from kuccha to pukka houses. We are also seeing increases in the average size of the dwellings and basic penetration of housing itself. The government is doing a lot with the PM Awaas Yojana among other programs. At the same time, at the upper end, in terms of multi-story apartment complexes, it is a long way to go. The main challenges we need to resolve are access to adequate land banks, further roll out of affordable housing, and a sustainable real estate industry based on global norms.
Vikas: Like other cement companies, Dalmia Cement has been associated with cricket. For every major event in the cricketing world, many cement companies associate with them for promotions. In what way does it really help in brand building?
Pramesh: – As a brand, we want to be present in meaningful ways where our consumers are. It’s a good medium for us to reach the consumer in a format which they enjoy. And secondly, it allows for high reach, high frequency, and high engagement – all goals we solve for while planning our media strategy.
In our case, we don’t simply buy airtime – we create properties and partnerships. In the last few years, we have associated with major ICC tournaments and Team India’s away tours. Each of these associations, we have created a full-fledged property – on ground presence, dealer campaigns and tours and digital promotions.
Vikas: – Any other message from your side to the audience and readers?
Pramesh: There are two things I’d like to express. One, strong, strategic investments in digitisation across all parts of the business, and an increases focus on digital marketing. In general, it is true for any industry that digital is here to stay and with Covid19, it’s only getting stronger.
During the lockdown, we have already worked out a virtual PJP, which is a virtual market visit and contact program for our Sales and Technical Services teams. So, they are connecting with trade and contractors and other stakeholders virtually – not just a phone call, but a systematic program to ensure tracking, conversions and customer delight. In a short span of time, we were able to shift the frontline teams from physical in-market movement to a robust virtual way of continuing business operations.
Secondly, with the launch of Future Today, we are turning to digital marketing as an integral part of our ‘go to market’ as a brand. From the moment the customer searches for cement, to the time he is ready to go to the cement dealership, we are investing in all parts of his journey using the digital medium.
In the past year, we’ve done an innovation with Alexa, where the home builder can ask Alexa questions about construction and get professional responses from Dalmia Cement. All customers need to do is say, "Alexa, Ask Dalmia" and it will answer their construction queries with resources from Dalmia Technical Experts.
Vikas: Very innovative!
Pramesh: Absolutely! We’ve just made a beginning – this will of course get richer and deeper as we progress. We are investing in building digital properties across the board. As an industry, we are laggards when it comes to digital adoption. Dalmia Cement wants to lead this journey, and bring consumers the future, today!
Nuvoco Vistas opens a 2 MMTPA grinding unit at Limla, entering Gujarat and advancing its target of 35 MMTPA capacity by FY 2028.
Surat (Gujarat)
Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Ltd, a part of Nirma Group and one of India’s leading building materials company, has inaugurated the Limla Cement Plant in Surat (Gujarat), one of Vadraj Cement Limited’s (VCL) principal manufacturing facilities. The commissioning represents a key milestone in Nuvoco’s acquisition and restoration of VCL, while supporting the company’s expansion across the Western Indian cement market.
Vadraj Cement Limited is a subsidiary of Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Limited and has installed cement capacity of 6 MMTPA across its assets. The Limla inauguration therefore represents the first operational step in the acquired platform’s wider revival, while the Kutch facilities provide clinker supply, mineral security and coastal logistics support for the western business.
Nuvoco completed its acquisition of Vadraj Cement Limited, then under the Corporate Insolvency Resolution Process, after paying a consideration of Rs 1,800 crore in June 2025. VCL’s asset portfolio comprises a clinker unit at Kutch and a grinding unit at Limla in Surat. It also includes high-quality captive limestone reserves and a captive jetty at Kutch, supporting more efficient logistics. Following the takeover, Nuvoco began an extensive programme of restoration, refurbishment and expansion at both locations, leading to the commissioning of the Limla plant.
The Limla Cement Plant is expected to support a phased increase in sales volumes across Gujarat. It will also help Nuvoco supply neighbouring markets in Western Maharashtra and release cement capacity from its northern plants, which can consequently be redirected towards markets in North India. The plant will manufacture a full portfolio comprising Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Slag Cement, Portland Pozzolana Cement and Portland Composite Cement. It will additionally produce the complete Nuvoco Duraguard range, including the premium Nuvoco Duraguard Microfibre product. The acquisition is also expected to generate operational synergies with Nuvoco’s existing plants at Nimbol and Chittorgarh in Rajasthan, improving logistics optimisation and market reach across important regional markets.
The grinding unit at the Limla Cement Plant was completed ahead of schedule, with 2 MMTPA of capacity now inaugurated to expand Nuvoco’s operating scale and customer reach. After Vadraj Cement’s assets become fully operational, plants in North and West India are expected to account for nearly 40 per cent of Nuvoco’s total cement capacity. This will broaden the company’s manufacturing network, strengthen access to high-growth markets and support its plan to increase consolidated cement capacity to 35 MMTPA by FY 2028, reinforcing its longer-term growth strategy.
Commenting on the development, Jayakumar Krishnaswamy, Managing Director, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd, said: “The inauguration of the Limla Grinding Unit in Surat is an important milestone in Nuvoco’s growth journey and demonstrates our commitment to disciplined, value-accretive expansion. Gujarat is strategically significant for Nuvoco, with substantial opportunities arising from infrastructure investment, industrial growth, rapid urbanisation and continuing demand from the housing and construction sectors. The facility strengthens our regional footprint, improves operational flexibility and increases our ability to serve customers across northern and western markets with greater reliability and efficiency.”
He added: “Through the Vadraj acquisition, we have refurbished and restarted a strategically important asset, returning it to operations in record time through strong execution and collaboration between teams. The achievement demonstrates our ability to create value from acquired assets, fulfil our commitments and retain the confidence of stakeholders. It also highlights the strength of our project delivery capabilities and our continued focus on building sustainable, profitable growth over the long term.”
Nuvoco Vistas Corporation Limited is a building materials company whose vision is to build a safer, smarter and more sustainable world. It is among the leading players in East India and has a significant presence across North and West India. Nuvoco began operations in 2014 with a greenfield cement plant at Nimbol, Rajasthan. It later acquired Lafarge India Limited, which had entered India in 1999, followed by Emami Cement Limited in 2020 and Vadraj Cement Limited in April 2025. The company has also announced an expansion in eastern India through a new grinding mill at the Arasmeta Cement Plant, supported by several debottlenecking programmes involving equipment upgrades, process improvements and internal capacity initiatives. These developments place Nuvoco on track to achieve total cement capacity of approximately 35 MMTPA. The company reported total income of Rs 11,362 crore in FY 2025-26, reflecting its continuing growth trajectory.
Nuvoco operates a diversified portfolio across three segments: Cement, Ready-Mix Concrete and Modern Building Materials. Its cement portfolio includes Concreto, Duraguard, Double Bull, PSC, Nirmax and Infracem, covering Ordinary Portland Cement, Portland Slag Cement, Portland Pozzolana Cement and Portland Composite Cement. Its pan-India RMX business provides value-added products under Concreto for performance concrete, Artiste for decorative concrete, InstaMix for ready-to-use bagged concrete, X-Con covering M20 to M60 grades, and Ecodure for specialised green concrete. Nuvoco has supplied materials to projects including the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet Train, Birsa Munda Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, Aquatic Gallery at Science City in Ahmedabad, and metro railway projects in Delhi, Jaipur, Noida and Mumbai.
Indian Cement Review (ICR) and Fuller Technologies brought industry, policy and technology leaders together to discuss how cement innovation can drive green construction at scale, writes Rakesh Rao.
India is building at a pace few countries can match. Highways, airports, housing, logistics parks, industrial corridors and urban infrastructure are reshaping the country’s economic geography. But beneath this growth story lies a difficult question: can India continue to build at scale without locking itself into a high-carbon future?
That question formed the core of an online panel discussion titled “Driving Green Construction Through Cement Innovation”, organised by Indian Cement Review (ICR) in association with Fuller Technologies as the Presenting Partner on June 25, 2026. The webinar brought together experts from cement technology, R&D, global industry platforms, building performance policy and international development cooperation to examine how low-carbon cement and material innovation can accelerate India’s green construction transition.
The discussion came at a crucial time. India has committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and reducing the carbon intensity of its economy by 45 per cent by 2030. At the same time, the country’s construction sector is expanding rapidly, driven by urbanisation, infrastructure development, housing demand and industrial growth. Cement, as one of the most widely used construction materials, sits at the heart of this transition. It is indispensable to development, but also central to the challenge of reducing embodied carbon in buildings and infrastructure.
Moderated by Nitika Krishan, Senior Urban Infrastructure and Sustainable Policy Consultant, the panel featured:
Dr Hemantkumar Aiyer, VP and Head R&D, Nuvoco Vistas Corp Ltd;
Devika Wattal, Innovation Lead, Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA);
Dr Sunita Purushottam, MD, GBPN India (Global Buildings Performance Network); and
Vaibhav Rathi, Senior Technical Advisor, GIZ (the German Agency for International Cooperation)
Setting the tone for the discussion, Nitika Krishan underlined the scale of the challenge before the sector. “The question before us is no longer whether we build, but how we build sustainably,” she said. She pointed out that construction accounts for nearly 40 per cent of global energy-related carbon emissions when both operational and embodied carbon are considered. Cement production, she added, remains one of the hardest industrial processes to decarbonise.
For India, this is not merely an environmental issue. It is a development issue, a competitiveness issue and increasingly, a market issue. As one of the world’s largest cement producers and among the fastest-growing construction markets, India’s material choices will influence the carbon trajectory of its built environment for decades. As Krishan observed, sustainability solutions in economies such as India must not remain limited to laboratory success. They must be scalable, commercially viable and practical at national level.
The innovation gap: From technology to market
Experts believe that there is a need to bridge the innovation gaps for making decarbonisation in cement and concrete scalable. Devika Wattal of GCCA, explained, “The starting point must be the core cement manufacturing process itself. The first and foremost is the heart of our process, the heart of cement manufacturing. How do we reduce clinker? That is always a topic where industry is working very intrinsically.”
Clinker reduction remains one of the most important pathways for lowering emissions in cement. Since clinker production is energy-intensive and chemically emits carbon dioxide, reducing the clinker factor through supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), blended cements and new chemistries can have a significant impact. Wattal also noted that carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) will have a role, though it may not be the first lever for all markets.
However, she stressed that innovation cannot stop at technology development. A solution that works in the lab must also be adaptable to industry, scalable in production and acceptable in construction practice. “It is important for that innovation to be adaptable, to be scalable, and so that it can be executed in real time,” she said.
Wattal also called for stronger enabling systems around innovation. These include performance-based standards, product-level embodied carbon databases and clearer frameworks for evaluating green materials. Without these, low-carbon cement products may struggle to compete with conventional materials in procurement and design.
R&D must balance carbon, cost and performance
Bringing in the R&D perspective into the discussion, Dr Hemantkumar Aiyer of Nuvoco Vistas emphasised that low-carbon cement development cannot be treated as a single-variable exercise. Cement must perform in real construction conditions. It must deliver strength, durability, consistency and cost competitiveness, while also reducing carbon.
“The root of understanding and balancing all these aspects lies in materials, and knowing the materials,” he said.
According to Dr Aiyer, R&D teams must understand the variability of raw materials such as fly ash, slag and clinker. Different sources produce different material behaviours. This makes mix optimisation, material characterisation and processing-property relationships critical. When performance is affected, cement manufacturers must understand how strength enhancers, admixtures and other performance chemicals interact with the material system.
He also linked material science with process efficiency. Clinkerisation takes place at extremely high temperatures, around 1,400 to 1,450 degrees Celsius. Any improvement in raw mix design, process control or energy optimisation can, therefore, help reduce emissions and cost. Dr Aiyer pointed to artificial intelligence-based optimisation, Cement 4.0 tools and advanced software as important enablers for real-time process and material control.
“The more you understand the materials, the more you can control it,” he said.
LC3: The promise is proven, the sequencing is not
Limestone calcined clay cement, commonly referred to as LC3, has attracted global attention because it can reduce clinker content significantly by using calcined clay and limestone while maintaining performance in many applications. Kiranmai Sanagavarapu of Fuller Technologies said the technology itself has already moved beyond proof of concept. Fuller Technologies has worked with calcined clay technology for nearly two decades and has seen plants running in France and Ghana. These plants, she said, are meeting local and national specifications, while the economics are beginning to make sense.
“The calciner is performing, the economics is stacking up, it is making business sense to produce,” she said.
But if the technology is viable, why has adoption not scaled faster? For Sanagavarapu, the answer lies in project sequencing. Too often, clay characterisation happens after equipment is specified. This, she warned, is a backward approach because calciner design depends on clay mineralogy, kaolinite content, iron levels, reactivity, moisture and other variables.
“If you don’t know what your deposit looks like before you commit for the equipment, you are, in a way, going blind into designing,” she said.
She also identified permitting and plant integration as major bottlenecks. Environmental clearances, mining permissions and local regulatory approvals must begin early. Similarly, calcined clay must be integrated into existing grinding, blending and logistics systems from the design stage, not treated as an afterthought during commissioning.
India already has IS 18189:2023 standard for LC3, but Sanagavarapu pointed out that the standard is not yet visible enough in procurement documents. “The gap between what is technically being permitted and what the procurement is asking is the single biggest bottleneck,” she said.
In her view, successful scale-up depends on getting the sequence right: clay characterisation first, permitting in parallel, standards aligned with construction, and integration built into plant design.
India’s LC3 journey: Progress, but demand remains thin
Providing details of India’s LC3 commercialisation experience, Vaibhav Rathi of GIZ noted that JK Cement carried out the first commercial production of LC3 at its Rajasthan plant, followed by JK Lakshmi Cement three months later. These initiatives were supported by the International Climate Initiative of the Government of Germany, with IIT Delhi contributing deep institutional knowledge on LC3 research and BIS certification.
Rathi said India’s early experience has produced clear lessons. One of the biggest was the need to build capacity among regulators. While BIS certification existed, State Pollution Control Boards were unfamiliar with the technology and unsure about the approval pathway.
“The capacity building is not just needed amongst the producer and the users of the cement, but also the regulators who are working with this technology for the first time,” he said.
He also highlighted the need for better information on China clay deposits. Since China clay is currently classified as a minor mineral, centralised data on availability, quality and location is limited. If cement manufacturers are to adopt LC3 at scale, stronger mineral intelligence will be important.
The third issue is demand. LC3 has already been used in projects such as Palava City in Mumbai and Noida International Airport, but these remain limited examples. “It is in a chicken and egg situation,” Rathi said. “Cement companies are saying we need more demand, and users are saying there is not enough cement available.”
Public procurement, he suggested, could help break this cycle. If agencies such as CPWD and other public bodies begin testing, accepting and specifying LC3, it could create the market confidence needed for cement companies to invest in production and storage.
Building codes must catch up with innovation
Dr Sunita Purushottam of GBPN India argued that material choices will determine built environment emissions over the long term, but India’s current policy signals remain fragmented. Although LC3 has received BIS recognition, she pointed out that building codes, municipal bylaws, schedules of rates and sustainability codes do not yet provide uniform guidance on low-carbon cement.
“The current cement regulations are largely prescriptive and favouring traditional materials,” she said. This limits the ability of alternative materials to compete on performance, durability and emissions.
Dr Purushottam also raised the issue of taxation. Cement, including LC3, currently falls under the same GST bracket as conventional cement. A differentiated tax structure, she argued, could help accelerate market adoption. “In order for the market to demand LC3, that differentiation in the GST could go a long way,” she said.
She noted that green building certifications such as IGBC and GRIHA are already creating demand for low-carbon materials by assigning points for embodied carbon and sustainable material use. However, she said large-scale adoption will require regulatory mandates, particularly through building codes and state-level notifications.
She also cautioned that low-carbon cement alone does not solve the entire building performance problem. A material may reduce embodied carbon, but the operational carbon of a building depends on thermal performance, design, insulation and energy use. “The energy part has two elements,” she said. “One is the embodied carbon of the material itself, and the other is the operational carbon.”
Collaboration is the bridge between invention and impact
Wattal said GCCA sees innovation as a strategic priority and works through platforms that connect industry with academia and start-ups. “There is no way we will decarbonise our sector without innovation,” she said.
However, she stressed that research must be connected to actual industry challenges. Innovations developed in isolation may fail when they encounter real-world barriers such as raw material variability, plant integration, cost, standards and finance. Start-ups, too, need industry mentorship and scale-up pathways.
Wattal also flagged the importance of finance. Even strong technologies may struggle to attract investment if there is no common understanding of bankability. “We have always put projects into, is this a bankable project? But the definition of a bankable project has never been defined,” she said.
For India, she saw strong potential in its academic and start-up ecosystem, but said the challenge lies in alignment and prioritisation. The country has the research base, industrial capacity and market size. What it now needs is a coordinated route from innovation to deployment.
There is a practical concern for cement manufacturers: how can existing plants be adapted for lower emissions without compromising reliability or commercial viability?
Kiranmai Sanagavarapu addressed, “The reliability risk in calcined clay retrofit is definitely real, but it is almost always self-inflicted. The risk arises when a new process is added to an existing circuit without properly redesigning grinding and blending configurations.”
Existing cement plants, she explained, can take two broad routes. The first is external sourcing of calcined clay combined with mill optimisation. This requires lower capital investment and can potentially move in 12 to 18 months if other conditions are in place. It may reduce emissions by around 20 to 30 per cent. The second route is integrated calcination on site, which requires higher capital expenditure and longer lead times, but provides greater control over quality, supply and emissions reduction potential.
For Sanagavarapu, the principle is simple: low-carbon retrofits must be designed with intent. “Design it with an intent properly from the start. Start in the market conditions where the economics are already working,” she said.
Circularity: The overlooked advantage
According to Vaibhav Rathi, fly ash and slag are already well established in cement and construction (C&D), but construction and demolition waste remains underutilised. “C&D waste is a growing business opportunity which not many have taken up,” he said. India’s continuous construction and demolition activity creates huge volumes of waste, much of which contributes to air pollution, land degradation and material inefficiency. With the right processing and standards, this waste can be converted into useful construction products.
Rathi also pointed out that LC3 has a circular economy dimension that is often overlooked. It can use low-grade kaolin-rich clay left behind after high-grade clay is extracted for other applications. “LC3 is not only a low-carbon solution, but also a circular economy solution,” he said.
At the same time, he cautioned that LC3 in India is not yet cheap because it has not reached scale. Site-specific techno-commercial feasibility studies, supported jointly by development agencies and industry, could help companies assess whether LC3 production makes technical and financial sense at a given location.
Dr Purushottam added that India must address both low-carbon cement and construction waste together. “Both low-carbon cement and C&D waste go hand in hand. India does not have an option but to work on both,” she said.
Dr Aiyer called for policy shifts from both government and industry, including preferential purchasing of sustainable materials, minimum supplementary cementitious material requirements in public and public-private projects, and faster regulatory implementation. “If we can fast-track the regulatory standards and their implementation on the ground, that is the way to go,” he said.
From green ambition to green construction
Cement innovation is no longer only about chemistry. It is about systems. Low-carbon cement will scale only when technology, standards, procurement, finance, regulation, education and construction practice move together.
LC3 and other low-carbon technologies have shown promise. India has early commercial examples, strong research capability and growing market interest. But mainstream adoption will depend on whether demand can be created, regulators can be capacitated, standards can be embedded in procurement, and manufacturers can see a clear business case.
For a country building at India’s scale, the opportunity is enormous. Cement will continue to be central to infrastructure and urban development. The challenge now is to ensure that the cement used in India’s growth story carries a lower carbon burden.
Rakesh Rao
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Specialised rail logistics will move fly ash from power plants to infrastructure industries.
New Delhi
Indian Railways is planning a large-scale green logistics initiative to transport fly ash from thermal power plants to industries where it can be reused in infrastructure and construction activities.
The initiative was discussed during a review meeting chaired by Union Minister for Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw. Union Ministers of State for Railways V Somanna and Ravneet Singh Bittu were also present.
India generates nearly 340 million tonnes of fly ash every year from thermal power plants. The proposed initiative aims to create an efficient rail-based transport system using specialised containers and dedicated logistics arrangements to move fly ash safely from power plants to end-use industries.
Fly ash is widely used in road construction, cement manufacturing, brick production, concrete, blocks and boards. By improving its movement through the railway network, the initiative is expected to support better utilisation of this industrial by-product while reducing environmental concerns linked to storage and disposal.
The move also aligns with India’s circular economy goals by converting waste from thermal power generation into a useful raw material for the construction and infrastructure sectors. Wider availability of fly ash can help reduce material costs in areas such as bricks and cement, supporting more affordable infrastructure and housing development.
Through this initiative, Indian Railways aims to provide a cleaner, safer and more organised transport solution for fly ash, turning an environmental challenge into an infrastructure resource.
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