Need for an Aluminum Policy in India

Aluminum is the second most used metal in the world after steel with an annual consumption of 88 Million Tonnes (including scrap). Aluminum Consumption in India at 2.5 kg per capita is much below the global average of 11kg per capita. To reach the global average of 11 kg per capita, India will require an additional annual consumption of 16mn tonnes, thus, making it the second largest consumer in the world (absolute terms). The role of Aluminum sector will be critical as India advances to meet its economic growth targets. With India’s growing economic might, it should be able to produce enough high quality metal to ensure self-reliance in its defense and critical infrastructure needs in order to avoid global volatility in supply and prices. Keeping this in mind, this report identifies issues that have plagued the aluminum sector with respect to demand augmentation and capacity addition. It stresses for a New Aluminum Policy that must focus on a holistic short-term, medium and long-term vision identifying growth targets for demand augmentation and capacity addition. This requires a strategy for achieving the targets in terms of raw material, infrastructure, value-addition, power, energy requirements and scrap recycling.