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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German robotics supplier Dürr has delivered its 20,000th painting robot, an EcoRP4 generation model, to Ford's manufacturing facility in Valencia, Spain. The milestone unit operates in a primer station on the exterior application line for the Ford Kuga following its installation in August 2026.

The EcoRP4 L033L/R robot functions alongside the EcoBell4 rotary atomiser to apply primer to vehicle bodies. The platform features a simplified mechanical design with fewer components to lower lifecycle costs and streamline maintenance compared to previous generations, while supporting floor-mounted, tower and linear-rail configurations.

At the Ford plant, the system operates with the EcoMCC3 A/B colour changer, the EcoBell4 Pro 2x1K atomiser, and high-transfer-efficiency application process technology to reduce material consumption, overspray and volatile organic compound emissions.

Marcus Treppschuh, Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Dürr, said, "The 20,000th painting robot from Dürr represents decades of experience in automated painting. The fact that this milestone has been reached with one of the first models from our new EcoRP4 generation underlines our commitment to consistently combining innovation and proven technology."

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Hindustan Zinc has announced the launch of two zinc alloys, VedAZ and VedAyush, to expand its value-added product portfolio for the galvanising industry. The introduction aims to address process efficiency, coating consistency, and corrosion protection for galvanised steel across the infrastructure, automotive and manufacturing sectors.

The move comes as corrosion-related losses in India are estimated at approximately 4.3 percent of the country's annual gross domestic product, according to a 2026 report by the CII and Nomura Research Institute.

The company produces the alloys through its wholly owned subsidiary, Hindustan Zinc Alloys, which operates a 30,000-tonne-per-annum zinc alloy melting and casting facility in Rajpura Dariba, Rajasthan.

VedAZ is a specialised zinc-aluminium master alloy designed to control aluminium levels in galvanising baths, supporting stable bath chemistry, uniform coating thickness and reduced dross formation. VedAyush is a zinc-aluminium-magnesium alloy engineered to improve corrosion resistance, coating adhesion and surface stability in coastal and industrial environments.

The company's value-added offerings also include Bureau of Indian Standards certified die-casting alloys HZDA-3 and HZDA-5 for automotive, electrical and consumer hardware applications.

Amarendu Prakash, CEO and Whole-time Director, Hindustan Zinc, said, "We see significant scope to grow our value-added zinc business across infrastructure, automotive, engineering and consumer products. Customers in these sectors need specialised grades tailored to their manufacturing processes and performance requirements. VedAZ and VedAyush broaden the range of needs we can address and create opportunities to build closer customer relationships. Our integrated operations and alloy manufacturing capabilities provide a strong base to develop customised products and scale this business. We want value-added products to become a larger part of our portfolio, helping us reach new customers and capture more value from the zinc we produce."

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Tata Projects has secured a contract from an automotive manufacturer to construct a greenfield plant at Auric-Bidkin in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. The project expands the company's portfolio into automotive manufacturing infrastructure.

The scope of work encompasses three packages covering the assembly shop, press and weld shop & utility and support buildings. The project requires civil, structural, architectural works, mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, utility networks, testing, commissioning and handover. The development builds upon the company's prior experience across semiconductor facilities, battery plants and data centres.

Rajiv Menon, President and Chief Growth and Strategy Officer, Tata Projects, said, "India’s manufacturing ambitions are being shaped by investments that combine global standards, advanced technology and world-class infrastructure. We are proud to partner with a leading global automotive manufacturer in creating a facility that will contribute to this journey. This win also represents an important step in broadening Tata Projects’ presence in advanced manufacturing. We will bring our integrated engineering and execution capabilities to the project, with an unwavering focus on safety, quality, disciplined project management and timely delivery."

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Maruti Suzuki India, the country’s largest passenger vehicle manufacturer, has added another milestone with its popular Dzire sedan surpassing cumulative production of 3.5 units, reaching the figure in approximately 18 years and 9 months since its launch in 2008.

Manufactured at the company's Manesar plant in Haryana, the Dzire joins the Alto, Swift and WagonR as the fourth Maruti Suzuki model to reach the 3.5 million production threshold.

The Dzire sedan took 7 years and 3 months to reach its first million units, while the most recent million units were produced in 4 years and 4 months. The Dzire became the first sedan to achieve a 5-star safety rating under Bharat NCAP and featured among Maruti Suzuki's top five export models in the previous financial year. The current generation model, introduced in November 2024, includes an automatic S-CNG variant offering fuel efficiency figures of 36.47 km/kg.

Hisashi Takeuchi, Managing Director & CEO of Maruti Suzuki India, said, "The cumulative production of 3.5 million Dzire vehicles marks a significant milestone in the model’s journey. More importantly, it reflects the trust and affection of millions of customers across four generations. It is rare for a car to remain relevant for nearly two decades. Introduced in 2008, the Dzire has created a strong legacy by combining style, comfort and practicality. Across four generations, the sedan has evolved with changing customer aspirations while retaining its core strengths, helping it to sustain its position among India’s highest selling vehicles over the years. I express my heartfelt gratitude to our customers for making Dzire a part of their lives, and to our employees, supplier and dealer partners whose contribution has made this journey possible. Together, they have shaped Dzire’s legacy and established it as one of India’s most successful passenger vehicles. Going forward, with increasing manufacturing scale, we remain committed to delivering world-class quality and delighting customers in India and across global markets."

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