India could import Pak's surplus cement

The Indian cement industry is planning to import cement from Pakistan, which manufactures more than its requirements. There are roughly 300 small and 130 large plants in India with an installed capacity of around 234 mn tonne, whereas the aggregate production capacity stands at 167 mn tonne. This is fuelling delays in construction schedules and forcing the Indian government to import cement from other countries. Importing cement from across the border seems viable price-wise as Pakistani imported cement would be available in India at a discount of 16 per cent at Rs 235 per 50 kg bag, compared with Indian cement price of Rs 280 per 50 kg bag.