India’s chemicals and plastics sector sees major investment surge

India’s chemicals, petrochemicals and plastics industries have recorded strong growth, driven by policy reforms and large‑scale investment. The three operational Petroleum, Chemicals and Petrochemicals Investment Regions (PCPIRs) in Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Odisha have attracted about Rs 3.4 lakh crore (≈US$40.5 billion) in capital, created roughly 370,000 jobs and enabled the establishment of more than 2,200 manufacturing units. Foreign direct investment in the sector has nearly doubled, reaching Rs 1.04 lakh crore (≈US$12.5 billion) between 2014 and 2026, while the government has issued 37 Quality Control Orders and approved ten plastic parks to improve product standards and infrastructure.

Telangana Minister D. Sridhar Babu highlighted the sector’s role as a “salient engine of India’s economic growth” at the inauguration of HIPLEX 2026, South & Central India’s largest plastics exhibition. He noted that the industry directly employs about 5 million people and indirectly supports over 10 million, with two lakh families in Telangana alone dependent on it. The minister pledged continued government support to address challenges such as volatile raw‑material prices, logistics disruptions and labour shortages.