India’s petrochemicals and plastics sector took a decisive step toward a cleaner future as the Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals (DCPC), along with FICCI and CIPET, hosted a high-level Summit on Recycling, Plastic Waste Management and Circular Economy in Dehradun. The gathering brought policymakers, industry leaders, researchers and manufacturers together, signalling a renewed commitment to building a more responsible and circular plastics ecosystem.
Held at a time when plastic waste management is becoming central to environmental and industrial policy, the Summit aimed to foster collaboration and create a shared roadmap for sustainable growth. The discussions strongly aligned with India’s national goals of environmental protection, resource efficiency and technology-driven development.
Delivering the keynote address, Ms Nivedita Shukla Verma, Secretary, DCPC, outlined several major government initiatives shaping this transition. She highlighted the Carbon Capture, Utilisation and Storage (CCUS) framework, the National Mission for Green India, the BioE3 Policy, strengthened Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) norms, the Plastic Waste Management Rules, and NITI Aayog’s Waste to Wealth programme.
She said these efforts are laying the foundation for an ecosystem designed around circularity. She emphasised the crucial roles of CIPET and the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) in advancing cleaner, efficient technologies and deepening industry–academia partnerships. “India needs faster adoption of circular manufacturing practices and innovation-led recycling technologies,” she stressed, calling for global best practices to be integrated more widely.
Adding to the sector’s outlook, Mr Prabh Das, Chair of the FICCI Petrochemicals & Plastics Committee, underscored the urgent need to strengthen waste collection and recycling systems. Mr Arvind Mehta, Chairman, AIPMA, advocated for greater public awareness to encourage more responsible consumer behaviour and pointed to the rising potential of India’s plastic exports.
Mr Nitesh Sharma, Partner at BCG, highlighted India’s progress in achieving global circularity standards, crediting effective EPR implementation as a crucial step. Shri Deepak Mishra, Joint Secretary (Petrochemicals), DCPC, shared insights on accelerating circular pathways and improving resource recovery through innovation and industry partnerships.
The inaugural session was also attended by Dr Geeta Khanna, Chairperson, FICCI Ladies Organization, Uttarakhand, along with senior officials and industry representatives.
The Summit reaffirmed a shared responsibility across government, industry and academia to build a circular, innovation-led and environmentally secure future for India’s petrochemicals and plastics sector.