India | Composite Materials in India
Composite Materials in India
Composite market in India
The size of the composite materials market is
projected to grow at a promising CAGR of 12.94
percent during the forecast period of 2015 to 2020,
to reach USD 11.26 billion by 20201. Composite
materials made of carbon and glass, are making
rapid inroads into the India’s traditional markets for
building materials and threatening to take it over.
Key Players
Tata Sons Ltd, Mahindra and Mahindra Ltd, Godrej
and Boyce manufacturing Co. Ltd. And Larsen and
Turbo Ltd have units making or developing
composites, and supplying to clients producing
spacecraft, aircraft and automobile parts.
Godrej Aerospace plans to start with the manufac-
ture of glass fibre composites in a few months,
followed by the top-end carbon composites and
extremely high-tech ceramic composites, used in
the tips of fins, nose, and rudder of planes to
withstand extreme heat.
Likewise, Tata Advanced Materials Ltd has been
supplying parts made out of composites to Boeing,
Spirit and the UTC Group and has also been a
partner for development of the light combat aircraft
and Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO)
satellites, including the Mars orbiter Mangalyaan.
The company is positive in its outlook for demand
of composites from the aerospace sector and is
therefore looking at building its capacity.
R&D in India
There are various laboratories and institutions in
India, who are investing in R&D related activities for
composites and advanced materials. Defence
Research and Development Organization (DRDO) is
the main organization responsible for all defence
related R&D activities and Defence Mettalurgical
45 | Overview HTSM - april 2016
Research Laboratory at DRDO works in the areas of
composites and material sciences. Advanced Centre
for Research on High Energy Materials (ACRHEM)
has been established with the University of
Hyderabad and does a lot of research related to this
area.
Various Indian Institutes
of Technology are working
together with Boeing and
Airbus
The Centre for Nanomaterials at International
Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy &
New Materials (ARCI) was established with a
mandate to develop technologies for the large-scale
production of nano-powders. And also to explore
their utilization for applications, which cater to
either a large Indian market. The Centre works in a
number of areas including oxide dispersion
strengthened steels for high temperature applicati-
ons and Fe-based Cerametallic Friction Material
Composites for clutch buttons. Several technologies
have been transferred to Indian industries. Besides
these, various Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT’s)
are working together with industrial players such as
Boeing and Airbus in related areas.
Opportunities for the Dutch
Although composite materials industry is at a very
nascent stage in India, several opportunities exist
for the Dutch stakeholders to partner with Indian
companies, who have acquired an interest in this
area.

Composite materials made of carbon and glass,
are making rapid inroads into the India’s
traditional markets for building materials
Airborne International, manufacturer of
composites (high performance fiber-rein-
forced plastics) in the Netherlands, delivers
its advanced composite solutions to key
players in the fields of aerospace, defence
and marine industries. As a preferred
supplier, Airborne develops, engineers,
qualifies, produces and maintains compo-
site products, for use under the most
demanding conditions. The company is
currently in discussion with an Indian
partner from Gujarat for a joint-venture.
The Indian firm, which manufactures
components for aerospace sector, wants to
enter the industry of composites manufac-
turing through this partnership.
India | Composite Materials in India
Conclusion
The activities for composites in India are
growing, especially with current govern-
ment’s recent impetus on indigenous
manufacturing. There are various opportu-
nities for Dutch stakeholders to collaborate
with Indian players who are looking to
establish themselves in composites market.
Source
1. http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/
composite-materials-market-to-grow-at-1294-cagr-
to-2020-566641241.html
More information
Akanksha Sharma
Email: as@nost-india.org
IA India
46 | Global Challenges, Smart Solutions