The Aluminium Association of India (AAI), the apex body representing aluminium producers in India, has submitted its pre-budget representation to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under Ministry of Commerce, Government of India.

It emphasises aluminium’s crucial role in India’s continued growth, especially as the nation envisions becoming a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047. High aluminium usage is an established marker of advanced economies, given the metal’s extensive use in both present and futuristic applications. This has led several nations like USA, Malaysia and Indonesia to designate aluminium as a ‘strategic sector’.

As per industry estimates, India’s per capita consumption of aluminium is still around 3kg per annum, compared to the global average of 12kg. However, the sector is facing major challenges in attracting fresh investments, despite domestic demand for aluminium set to reach 10 MTPA by 2030. So far, the Indian aluminium industry has invested over USD 20 billion, to expand production capacity to 4.2 MTPA to meet the growing demand. However, a further investment of about USD 40 billion over the next 6 years will be needed to meet the expected demand of 10 MTPA, while also creating more jobs within India.

AAI states that given that aluminium is a strategic metal with extensive usage in defence, aerospace and sunrise sectors of renewables, electric vehicles, power transmission and sustainable infrastructure, it is paramount for India to be self-sufficient in aluminium production. Towards encouraging fresh investments, aluminium producers have requested the Central Government to safeguard the industry from surging imports.

The industry body states that over the past couple of years, imports of primary aluminium have doubled while there has also been a significant surge in low-quality scrap and downstream products, especially from China.

Industry members have highlighted that the influx of imports in the domestic market is a deterrent to making new investments in the sector, even when India has all the necessary ingredients to emerge as a global aluminium hub. According to them, the primary reason for the surge in imports is the low import duties on primary/downstream products and a prevalent duty difference between primary goods and scrap in aluminium. This is unlike other key non-ferrous metals, where the duty for scrap and primary is at par.

AAI states it is therefore requesting the Central Government to help ensure the nation’s self-sufficiency and attract new investments by increasing the import duty on primary/downstream products to 10 percent from the existing 7.5 percent. Additionally, to control cheap imports, the duty on aluminium scrap also needs to be set at 7.5 percent, at par with other aluminium products. This measure would encourage the recycling of domestic scrap and limit the influx of low-quality foreign scrap, helping strengthen the circular economy.

To ensure global competitiveness, it is essential that policies nurture a sustainable environment, fostering growth for the domestic industry while positioning India as a leader in the global market. This will provide some relief to the industry, already burdened by high tax and regulatory charges.

At present, the industry incurs around 17 percent of its cost of production in taxes, levies, and regulatory compliance charges. To ease this burden, the AAI has proposed an urgent rationalising of duties on crucial raw materials.

The domestic aluminium industry’s existing investments in capacity have led to the creation of over 800,000 direct and indirect jobs and spurred the development of more than 4,000 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in remote regions, particularly in the downstream sector. According to the AAI, the additional investment of USD 40 billion to meet domestic demand would align with the Prime Minister's vision for an ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, while also creating 2 million livelihood opportunities across the country. With government support in the form of duty rationalisation and enhanced import restrictions, the domestic producers are confident of contributing to India's journey toward self-reliance.

Representational image courses: Victor Kovshevny/Flickr

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The Association of Indian Forging Industry (AIFI), the apex body for the forging sector, successfully concluded its National Annual Convention in Pune, bringing together industry leaders, policymakers and experts to strategise on the future of the Indian forging industry.

The landmark event focused on charting a clear growth roadmap, exploring opportunities amidst global supply chain disruptions and analysing the evolving outlook for both Electric Vehicles (EVs) and Internal Combustion Engines (ICE).

In his inaugural address, Yash Munot, President, AIFI, emphasised the industry’s need to balance the dual imperatives of sustainability and competitiveness. "India’s automotive and mobility sectors are undergoing unprecedented transformation. At AIFI, we firmly believe that collaboration across industry, academia and policymakers is the key to shaping a resilient future," he stated.

A core theme of the convention was the delicate balance between the EV transition and the continuing relevance of ICE technology in India.

Dr K C Vora of NAMTECH delivered a keynote on the ‘Future of EV & ICE in Indian Scenario,’ highlighting the critical role of EV adoption, supported by policies like FAME II, while stressing the need for continued optimisation of ICE platforms given India's diverse mobility ecosystem.

The second keynote by Prenayan Kaul of PwC focused on navigating global supply chain disruptions, urging forging companies to leverage technology-driven efficiencies and tap into new growth areas to counter headwinds like raw material volatility.

A major highlight of the convention was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between AIFI and Hexagon. This strategic partnership aims to advance digitalisation and smart manufacturing capabilities within the forging sector, a move AIFI President Munot cited as a testament to the commitment to global competitiveness.

A dynamic panel discussion on ‘Current Industry Scenario - Trends, Opportunities & Challenges,’ moderated by S Muralishankar, further reinforced the importance of resilience, innovation and collaborative growth in tackling current industry trends and governmental policies.

The convention concluded with a reaffirmation of AIFI's mission to strengthen the sector’s role as a vital contributor to India’s economic growth, aligning actively with national priorities such as ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and the transition towards sustainable mobility.

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Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAM), a leading global manufacturer of sustainable battery materials, and Phillips 66 have forged a strategic alliance to bolster the domestic electric vehicle (EV) and energy storage system (ESS) battery supply chain in the United States.

Phillips 66, one of the world’s leading producers of Green and Calcined Needle Coke cokes, which are the critical feedstock required for manufacturing synthetic graphite anodes – a core component of lithium-ion batteries.

As per the understanding, Phillips 66 will supply Green and Calcined Needle Coke from its Lake Charles, Louisiana refinery to Epsilon Advanced Materials. The feedstock secured through this partnership will directly support EAM's ambitious new 30,000 tonnes graphite active anode material facility currently under development in North Carolina.

The facility has completed all necessary permitting milestones and is on track to begin operations in 2027, with an expansion plan to reach 60,000 tonnes by 2030. Once fully operational, the North Carolina plant is projected to supply U.S. battery manufacturers and automotive OEMs with enough graphite active anode material to power approximately million electric vehicles annually, playing a decisive role in scaling sustainable battery production for the nation and enabling clean energy transitions.

Vikram Handa, Managing Director, Epsilon Advanced Materials, said, “This collaboration is a major step in building a secure and sustainable battery materials supply chain for the US. Phillips 66’s expertise in energy and materials, combined with EAM’s capacity and global presence, will ensure reliable, scalable and sustainable graphite anode production to power the EV and ESS industries worldwide.”

The agreement successfully brings together Phillips 66’s operational expertise in material production with EAM’s global expansion goals, reinforcing the collective effort to build a competitive and resilient supply chain for clean energy technologies across multiple regions.

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Bengaluru-based engineering R&D services major L&T Technology Services has expanded its partnership with Siemens, a leading technology company focused on industry, infrastructure and mobility.

The partnership aims to advance Machine & Line Simulation and IIoT Technology, setting a new benchmark for innovation within LTTS’ sustainability segment, which encompasses process engineering, discrete manufacturing and industrial products.

As per the understanding, LTTS will leverage the digital technology portfolio of Siemens to deliver simulation-driven automation and IIoT-enabled solutions for diverse sectors including automotive & transportation, industrial products and process & plant engineering.

By combining Siemens’ flagship platforms, TIA Portal, Industrial Edge and Tecnomatix, integrated with LTTS’ AI-driven engineering expertise, the partnership will accelerate digital adoption, improve precision in system design and drive faster, smarter decision-making across manufacturing ecosystems.

Alind Saxena, President & Executive Director – Mobility & Tech, L&T Technology Services, said, “Our collaboration with Siemens underscores a shared vision of driving AI-powered innovation and operational excellence across industrial ecosystems. By focusing on robust solutions such as Machine & Line Simulation and IIoT Technology, we are empowering industries to achieve greater agility, actionable insights and measurable business outcomes.”

Suprakash Chaudhuri, Head of Digital Industries, Siemens, said, “At Siemens, we believe that partnerships are the cornerstone of the digital transformation journey for Indian enterprises. By combining deep domain expertise with cutting-edge digital solutions, we can co-create scalable, future-ready innovations that empower industries to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. We are delighted to welcome LTTS as our Solution Partner and look forward to shaping the future of digital transformation together.”

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Kinetic India, part of the Kinetic Engineering Group, has rolled out the first unit of its LFP (lithium iron phosphate) Range-X battery from the production line at its Ahilya Nagar facility.

The Range-X LFP battery is powering the company’s recently launched Kinetic DX EV electric scooter. The company shared that the Range-X LFP batteries are designed to be longer, safer & superior, and are equipped with a smart Battery Management System (BMS) to optimise performance, extend lifecycle and ensure consistent reliability.

Ajinkya Firodia, Vice-Chairman, Kinetic India, said, “These first batteries rolling off our production line represent more than just a milestone for Range-X, they signify the backbone of the Kinetic DX EV and the next wave of clean mobility in India. With AIS 156 certification, Range-X delivers on its promise of combining durability, safety, and sustainability in every battery we produce.”

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