NEW DELHI– India’s copper consumption surged 9.3 percent to 1,878 kilotonnes (KT) in fiscal year 2024–25, driven by rapid growth in infrastructure development, building construction, clean energy projects, and consumer durables, according to data released Wednesday by the International Copper Association India (ICA India).
The country’s demand had stood at 1,718 KT in FY24. ICA India said that the infrastructure and building construction sectors were the strongest contributors, recording year-on-year growth of 17 percent and 11 percent, respectively.
The renewable energy segment posted one of its highest annual capacity additions, while demand from the consumer durables category rose 19 percent, fueled by record sales of air conditioners, fans, and other appliances.
The automotive industry, including electric vehicles (EVs), saw an overall 5 percent increase in copper usage, led by double-digit growth of 16 percent in two- and three-wheelers—underscoring copper’s growing importance in the shift toward clean mobility. The industrial motors segment expanded 12 percent.
“India’s copper demand trajectory mirrors the country’s economic and industrial momentum,” said Mayur Karmarkar, Managing Director of ICA India. “Policies aimed at promoting renewable energy, sustainable mobility, and infrastructure development have fueled copper demand, emphasizing its role as a critical resource for the nation’s growth. However, it is important to ask: Is the current pace of copper demand growth sufficient to meet the nation’s long-term Developed India (Viksit Bharat) @2047 agenda?”
Karmarkar said India must proactively build functional copper reserves and strengthen domestic supply chains to ensure future resilience. Accelerating copper adoption to expand the country’s above-ground “functional reserves” will be crucial until India achieves developed-economy status, he noted.
He added that end-user sectors such as infrastructure, clean energy, and mobility will continue to play a central role, but called for greater domestic copper fabrication capabilities and import substitution measures. “This will be essential for sustaining India’s development ambitions and ensuring that copper continues to power the nation’s progress,” Karmarkar said. (Source: IANS)
