The manufacturing of geotextiles began three decades ago in India. Today, major players like Garware Wall Ropes, Techfab India, Kusumgar Projects, Strata GeoSystems and Skaps Industries mark the landscape for geotextiles in the country. Some new players like Manas Geotech Pvt Ltd and M/s Supreme Nonwovens have also started providing wide width PP/polyester based nonwovens for users in the infrastructure sector. A strong presence is also being seen from international companies and multinationals such as Fibertex Nonwovens, Maccaferri Environmental Systems, Tencate, Terram and Heuskar.

Geosynthetics are now being used for all conceivable situations in civil engineering and infrastructure projects, namely the construction of roads and expressways, airport runways, embankments for railways, dams, canals, flyover embankments, seaside platforms, retaining walls and more. However, despite the inherent and performance enhancing qualities, the use of geosynthetic materials in India has been slow to pick up due to low awareness of its utility and end uses vis a vis conventional materials.

Considering that India has the second largest road network in the world (approx. 23 million km length), growth for geosynthetics and geotextiles surely has far-reaching and multi-disciplinary applications. The overall demand for geotextile materials is expected to grow due to its cost effectiveness over the product use lifecycle, as well as its engineered and technical parameters, which retain enhanced performance amidst all terrain and weather conditions. The use of geosynthetics and geotextiles in the civil engineering segment has already touched a level of 100 million sq. meters and is projected to grow steadily at a 10-12% rate.

The Potential
The last three decades have been slow and small, but steady indeed. India today is the fastest developing economy with an average GDP rate of 6.5-7%. The ongoing liberalization and reform of the economy has brought on large infrastructure projects for new highways and roads, railway tracks, roads over bridges, river bridges, new airports and seaports, power plants, etc.

The planned spending on infrastructure alone, in the ongoing 12th national plan by the end 2018, is estimated at $1.25 trillion, which will certainly promote the use and consumption of geotechnical products into higher orbits of demand and production.

The growth in demand and applications for geotextile materials can truly be exponential once the government takes the bold steps of making the use of such technically advanced materials mandatory in certain sectors. This would give a boost to domestic production and reduce the ongoing large imports. This would further require development and propagation of quality standards and performance codes for such structured materials, under the umbrella of the BIS or any other designated body/council.

The technology for the production of geotextiles is evolving fast and finding increasing use in the rapidly expanding infrastructure projects in India. This was clearly endorsed at the Global Summit on Geosynthetics in New Delhi, and attended by international and domestic manufacturers in the field, as well as by key institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology, as well as the Ministry of Textiles, Ministry of Road Transport and Ministry of Defense.

Looking Ahead
The future road map for increased applications for geosynthetic nonwovens in India, leading to growth in domestic demand and production, lies in addressing the needs of some key sectors like the government funded infrastructure sector, which is already experiencing some of the benefits of the end use of geotextiles.

The Indian railway system, with a network of 61000 km, is among the largest in the world, with nearly 99% in broad gauge. New tracks for dedicated freight corridors and high speed bullet trains are already on the ground for implementation by or before the year 2022. This opens huge opportunities for expanded demand and consumption of geotextiles.

Other equally important and bulk consuming segments are for roads and highways where the usage for reinforced walls, roads under bridges and roads over bridges are also on the rise. In addition to the perceived increased use of geotechnical materials by the defense and military sectors, other new and promising areas that could open up the demand for geosynthetics are inland water transport systems, inter basin water transfer, flood control via use of geo bags, and landfills.

Finally, India is also a large producer of natural fibers and their use in geotextiles, especially in rural road applications, has led to cost savings and good technical results. Greater focus needs to be directed towards these natural resources in India for the production of environmentally friendly geotextiles that are locally sourced and locally consumed.