The Aluminium Extrusion Manufacturers Association of India (ALEMAI) has launched the ‘Aluminium Bharat’ initiative to strengthen India’s aluminium value chain. The initiative was introduced by Jitin Prasada, Minister of State for Commerce and Industry in New Delhi.
ALEMAI said India’s midstream and downstream aluminium segments are contracting, with production declining by 40–50 per cent. Despite an installed capacity of 4.2 million tonnes, utilisation remains low, with extrusion output at 1.2–1.3 million tonnes and rolled and flat products at around 1.5 million tonnes.
Jitendra Chopra, President of ALEMAI, said the sector is under pressure due to a combination of domestic constraints and global factors.
The association cited rising raw material and energy costs as key challenges. It also pointed to the limited availability of aluminium scrap. Input costs are higher than global peers. This is affecting competitiveness. ALEMAI flagged tariff imbalances. Domestic manufacturers face competition from low-cost imports backed by subsidies and trade agreements.
Operational bottlenecks persist. These include regulatory hurdles, fuel allocation issues and labour shortages. MSMEs are the most affected.
As part of the initiative, ALEMAI will host ‘Aluminium Bharat 2026’ from September 26–29 in Gandhinagar alongside Alumex India 2026.
Prasada said, “The initiative… is a statement of intent that India will move up the global value chain in aluminium manufacturing.”