~ Second edition of the summit highlights R&D, digitalisation, and future-ready talent as key enablers of global leadership in chemicals

MUMBAI, India, Aug. 18, 2025 -- Godrej Industries Group (GIG) recently hosted the second edition of the 'National Chemistry Day' Summit. Building on the success and momentum of the inaugural edition, this joint initiative by GIG companies – Godrej Industries (Chemicals) and Astec LifeSciences, brought together industry leaders, academia and research professionals to deep dive into innovative trends and technology that are redefining the landscape of modern chemistry and explore how the Indian chemical industry can leverage them.

India's chemical sector is on a strong growth trajectory, underscoring its rising strategic importance and the country's emergence as a trusted global hub for chemical manufacturing. As one of the few sectors where India has the potential to become a global leader, it is projected to capture 10–12% of the global market share by 2040—provided innovation, R&D, and policy support continue to align effectively. It is against this backdrop that the theme for this year's summit, 'Driving Innovation and Growth in India's Chemical Industry', was conceptualized, serving as a timely platform to reflect on the sector's momentum and catalyze conversations around advancing India's innovation ecosystem, R&D capabilities, and global competitiveness through purposeful collaboration.

Commenting on the summit, Nadir Godrej, Chairperson, Godrej Industries Group said, "Chemistry has always played a foundational role in shaping society. As we convene the second edition of National Chemistry Day, it is clear that meaningful, future-facing conversations are vital for unlocking India's full potential in this space. This summit is our attempt to enable that - to spark dialogue, share ideas, and collaboratively explore how we can not only participate in the global chemical economy, but lead it responsibly and sustainably."

Featuring two panel discussions; one with Vishal Sharma, Executive Director and CEO of Godrej Industries Limited (Chemicals), moderating a dialogue on building competitiveness in India's chemical industry, and another with Burjis Godrej, Executive Director, Godrej Agrovet Ltd and MD, Astec LifeSciences Ltd, moderating a conversation on the role of R&D in driving industry growth, the panellists underscored the importance of accelerating innovation, enhancing value-added manufacturing, and fostering deeper academia-industry collaboration.

Reflecting on the session and the overall summit, Vishal Sharma, Executive Director and CEO of Godrej Industries (Chemicals) said, "The exchange of ideas at this year's summit revolved around a shared imperative — for India's chemical industry to build resilience not just through cost competitiveness, but by fostering knowledge, collaboration, and innovation. What resonated most across the discussions was the clear consensus that India must move beyond being seen as a backend producer and step up to lead from the front. Whether it's strengthening in-house R&D, embracing green chemistry, or nurturing the next generation of scientists and engineers, the conversations reflected a collective ambition to position India as a global hub for sustainable chemical manufacturing. It is this spirit of openness and shared purpose that will propel the sector forward."

Sharing his thoughts on the summit's impact and the path ahead for the industry, Burjis Godrej, Executive Director, Godrej Agrovet Ltd & Managing Director, Astec LifeSciences Ltd said, "Innovation in the chemical industry can no longer remain siloed within labs or R&D departments—it must become a mindset that runs across the entire value chain. What emerged clearly during the discussions was a shared understanding that we must move beyond incremental gains towards transformative shifts. Strengthening industry-academia linkages, accelerating digital adoption, and building diverse, cross-functional R&D teams are no longer optional—they are vital for sustained global competitiveness. Forums like this are crucial in aligning perspectives, surfacing bold ideas, and reinforcing the urgency for collective action. If India is to lead on the global stage, we must evolve from being efficient executors to becoming originators of sustainable, scalable chemical innovations."

Another highlight of this year's summit was the launch of the inaugural edition of the CTIER Innovation Report titled 'Industry in India: Followers or Leaders?' which provides a data-driven assessment of how leading Indian R&D firms compare to their global counterparts across critical innovation parameters.

The summit witnessed participation from prominent industry leaders, academic experts, and research professionals including Padma Vibhushan Prof. M.M. Sharma; Dr. Naushad Forbes, Co-Chairperson, Forbes Marshall; Amit Gandhi, Managing Director and Senior Partner, BCG India; Aashish Kasad, Senior Partner, Ernst & Young; Vivek Save, Executive Director and Board Member, Deccan Fine Chemicals; Prof. Santosh J. Gharpure, Dean (Faculty Affairs) and Professor, Department of Chemistry, IIT Bombay; Simon-Thorsten Wiebusch, Chairman, MD & CEO, Bayer CropScience Ltd.; Janak Nabar, CEO, Centre for Technology, Innovation and Economic Research; Aman Das, Country Manager and MD, Head, Syensqo India; Nitin Sharma, CEO and General Manager, Clariant IGL Specialty Chemicals Pvt. Ltd.; Dr. Alok Sharma, Director (R&D) and Board Member, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd.; and Sunil Kumar, President, Henkel India.

As the second edition of the National Chemistry Day Summit drew to a close, one message resonated clearly—India's chemical industry is on the cusp of a new era of innovation and global leadership. The ideas sparked and conversations initiated at the summit are expected to ripple outward, driving meaningful change, shaping progressive policy, and fostering deeper collaboration across the industry and beyond. Spearheaded by Godrej Industries Group, this initiative underscores the Group's enduring commitment to sustainable innovation and nation-building.

About Godrej Industries Group

The Godrej Industries Group (GIG) serves 1.1 billion consumers globally across businesses in diverse industries, including consumer products, real estate, agriculture, financial services and chemicals. Godrej was founded in 1897 to help build economic independence for India. We are committed to growing and strengthening this legacy of innovation for a cause; building for a more sustainable future, while placing our planet and people alongside profit.

GIG houses several rapidly growing businesses that are the leaders in their respective categories. Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) is an emerging markets FMCG leader in Home and Personal Care with a growing presence in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Godrej Properties (GPL) is India's leading real estate developer by sales and brings the Godrej philosophy of innovation, sustainability, and excellence to the real estate industry. Godrej Agrovet's (GAVL) portfolio businesses address key challenges faced by Indian agriculture; improving the productivity of Indian farmers through innovative products and services that sustainably increase crop and livestock yields. Godrej Industries (Chemicals), the group's oldest business, is India's leading manufacturer of oleochemicals and surfactants. Godrej Fund Management (GFM) is the real estate private equity arm of the group. Godrej Capital (GC), the newest company in the group, is a fast-growing financial services business.

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