The ICR Conference explored the theme of driving sustainability through technology, wherein industry experts shared insights on policy, market synergies and technological pathways that are aiding low-carbon, efficient and sustainable construction. Through insightful panel discussions and presentations, innovative and path-breaking ideas emerged that would lead the Indian cement sector towards a brighter, greener future. The Multilogistix Conference was also held concurrently, which comprised building smarter, more sustainable supply chains and digital transformation.
The conference started with the VIP guests participating in the lamp lighting and ribbon cutting ceremonies, followed by a welcome speech by Pratap Padode, Founder, ASAPP Info Global Group & Editor-in-Chief Indian Cement Review; and an address by Sumit Banerjee, Director, JSW Cement and Former MD, ACC and Chairman of Editorial Advisory Board of Indian Cement Review. Guests of Honour Sudhanshu Pandey, Election Commissioner (UTs); Sagar Kadu, Director – Logistics Division, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India; and Sanjay Bhatia, Upalokayukta, Govt of Maharashtra, Chairman of MultiLogistix Committee, also enlightened the audience with their insights.
In his welcome speech Padode pointed out, “Today, we are talking about decarbonisation, which is the theme of our conference and of our annual issue, and we have COP30 going on in Brazil at the same time.
And yes, it’s a difficult subject to tackle in a year or a decade or even a couple of decades, but we are seriously recognising it—probably by force of nature—but we are. And I think government policy is supporting the move to make sustainability a part of the exercise that all companies have to undergo. Infrastructure is on a roll as far as our country is concerned. Eleven trillion rupees have been allocated in our budget, which is still short of what ought to be. We should be somewhere in the range of 16 to 17 trillion, as per the plan made by the government themselves earlier. But we can see visible changes in cities.”
Thoughts on decarbonisation
In his speech, Kadu said, “Today, when we speak about India’s Vision 2047 or the USD 32 trillion economic goal, logistics is playing an extremely important role. As all economic sectors evolve, the logistics sector is also rapidly transforming—adapting to change, embracing innovation, and strengthening collaboration. Conferences like this, and partnerships among stakeholders, allow us to exchange ideas, understand each other’s needs, and build the kind of cooperative ecosystem that lies at the core of government policies such as PM GatiShakti and the National Logistics Policy. Whether it is cement, steel or agriculture, bringing sectors together and learning from industry experience is central to how we design policies going forward.
Cement plays a vital role in major national programmes like Sagarmala, Bharatmala and various Pariyojanas, and therefore seamless infrastructure connectivity becomes essential from both the government and industry perspective.”
Giving insights on the theme, Pandey elaborated, “Collaboration is not just a slogan, it is a realistic path forward, which we all must encompass. The next decade offers unprecedented opportunities for the sector as India’s infrastructure growth history is unfolding gradually.
The alternative raw materials and fuels from industrial by-products like fly ash, slag to agricultural residues and green hydrogen, and the potential to replace carbon intensive inputs is immense. The carbon capture and utilisation technologies and converting it into construction material or chemicals are rapidly evolving. India can be a testbed for all such technologies. Circular economy is another area where we all have to work. The cement sector can play a central role in waste, co-processing, reducing landfill burdens and supporting the Swachh Bharat Mission in a big way. Green financing will give us to access climate finance, green bonds and ESG linked funding, which can accelerate adoption of clean technologies across the value chain.”
“I am very optimistic about what is happening in India. I was part of the team that prepared the Sagar Mala vision and later the Vision 2030 for shipping and ports. I remember deliberating across nearly 250 meetings with all kinds of stakeholders at that time, including the private sector. And now, I am actually seeing the results of that work. PM Gati Shakti is essentially a combination of Sagar Mala, Bharat Mala, the railways—all integrated together. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that there is now a PM Gati Shakti University dedicated entirely to logistics.
It is extremely encouraging to see a university working so comprehensively on this sector. The great work being done is now visible on the ground. I am from Mumbai, and if you have recently visited the city, you would have seen how completely it has transformed. The Coastal Road, Atal Setu, the metro, the Navi Mumbai International Airport, Samruddhi Marg joining Nagpur to Mumbai—all have been completed. Everything we used to plan in the war rooms at that time, whether with the Government of Maharashtra or the Prime Minister’s Office, is now beginning to show tangible results. That is why I am very optimistic about our progress—and cement is at the heart of this progress,” Bhatia expounded.
Later during the conference, Deepak Shetty, Former Secretary to the Government of India and Director General of Shipping, said, “All of us are aware that we are the fastest-growing economy in the world with by far a 6 to 7.7 per cent GDP growth rate, and by all accounts—be it the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, the OECD— all of them prophesy, and the prognosis of all of them is that come 2050 India is poised to become global number two as an economy. That’s well beyond India’s 100 years of independence celebration. We are possibly poised to become number two next only to China, probably overtaking the US.”
Thought-provoking exchange of ideas
The panel discussions spanned across the two days of the conference and were interspersed with individual presentations from industry experts and brand partners. The panels comprised subject matter experts who led the conversation on decarbonisation of the cement sector.
Presentations by industry experts
Across the two-day conference, many industry experts also presented papers and showcased case studies highlighting the numerous innovations taking place in the industry, across different verticals that are helping take the Indian cement sector towards its Net Zero target. The keynote address was delivered by Parlikar who spoke about the importance of adopting circular economy principles to reduce environmental footprint and strengthen long-term economic resilience.
