On October 18, the Andhra Pradesh government disclosed that the Adani Group has submitted a proposal to build an integrated titanium industrial park in the Srikakulam region, with an investment of 160 billion rupees (approximately US$1.9 billion). The plan is to produce 200,000 tons of titanium dioxide and 10,000 tons of titanium metal annually, using ilmenite from beach sand deposits as raw material rather than directly exporting the raw ore.
India possesses the world's third-largest titanium ore reserves, approximately 92 million tons of ilmenite equivalent, yet its titanium dioxide import dependence exceeds 75%, with about two-thirds coming from China. A country with ore resources still relies on imports for most of its pigment-grade titanium dioxide needs. Adani's proposal marks India's first attempt to leap directly from the mining end to the pigment and metal ends.
200,000 tons: equivalent to 2.4 times India's existing capacity
India's domestic titanium dioxide production capacity is approximately 82,500 tons per year, while domestic demand has reached 400,000 tons per year, with a gap of over 300,000 tons filled by imports. Once the Adani project is operational, import dependence will drop significantly, and China's share in India's import structure will bear the brunt.
The mining blocks tentatively allocated to the project are estimated to contain 6.68 million tons of ilmenite, which, based on the annual consumption of 200,000 tons of titanium dioxide plus 10,000 tons of titanium metal, corresponds to an operating cycle of approximately 10 years. Adani has requested at least two additional mining leases, aiming to support 20 to 25 years of operations. The Andhra Pradesh government stated that a decision on the proposal will be made after local body elections conclude. The technology route has also not been disclosed; the choice between the sulfate process and the chloride process will determine whether the project targets domestic coating-grade substitution or high-end pigment products with export competitiveness.
For every three tons of titanium dioxide India imports, about two come from China
In the first half of 2026, China's total titanium dioxide exports reached 1.07 million tons, of which 211,000 tons went to India, accounting for 20% of total exports.
The increment is even more concentrated: in the first half of the year, China's titanium dioxide exports increased by approximately 150,000 tons year-on-year, with India alone contributing 72,000 tons, or 48% of the national export increment. Among the export increment of sulfate-process titanium dioxide, India contributed 76%, effectively offsetting declines in markets such as Brazil and the Middle East.
This surge in exports to India was directly triggered by India's cancellation of anti-dumping duties on Chinese titanium dioxide at the end of 2025. In September 2025, an Indian court revoked the final anti-dumping ruling, and in December the CBIC issued a customs instruction to cease collection, allowing Chinese goods to re-enter the Indian market at an accelerated pace. The concentrated restocking following the removal of trade barriers, combined with India's long-standing domestic capacity shortfall, jointly drove up export volumes to India.
Europe and South America are closing their doors
The EU has imposed anti-dumping duties on Chinese titanium dioxide of €0.25 to €0.74 per kilogram since January 2025, with a carbon border tax added from January 2026. Brazil, the Eurasian Economic Union, Saudi Arabia, the UK, and other markets have successively imposed anti-dumping duties or launched investigations. Brazil and the EU together cover nearly 30% of China's titanium dioxide export share.
For Chinese titanium dioxide enterprises, the past two years of strong sales to India relied on the combination of two conditions: India's insufficient domestic production and the cancellation of anti-dumping duties. If the Adani project advances, the advantage brought by the tariff cancellation will weaken as India's domestic capacity is built up, and the shortfall from insufficient domestic capacity will gradually narrow as the project comes on stream. The Indian market remains, but Chinese goods will no longer face a gap filled entirely by imports—they will face a competitive landscape in which a domestic supplier is taking shape.
