India and Northern Ireland: A Growing Business Relationship

Saikiran Vedula , Regional Manager – India, at Invest Northern Ireland , discussed the emerging economic partnership between Northern Ireland and India with Construction Week India and explained how this partnership can benefit both countries.

The first association that comes to mind when picturing the calm serene landscapes of Northern Ireland with the lively Indian subcontinent is not one of commerce. But behind this unusual pairing is growing business relationship built on respect for one another and a common goal of a sustainable future. Mining and recycling are the two pivotal industries driving this collaboration, offering a compelling narrative about how Northern Ireland is ideally situated to help India achieve its objectives.

Indian Mining Vision: Deep Dive

The mining sector has played a crucial role in India's growth story and shows no signs of slowing down. India is uniquely positioned to compete on a global scale in the mining industry thanks to its extensive mineral resources. The Indian government's strategy for the sector in the coming 5 - 10 years is very clear: double the production of important minerals, reduce the dependency on imports and encourage optimal utilisation of the country’s mineral resources through sustainable and transparent practices, research and development, with the goal for the sector to continue contributing to 2.5% of India’s GDP by 2026-2027[1] in a way that is good for the environment and advantageous to nearby populations.

The partnership between Telestack Limited , headquartered in Northern Ireland, and @JSW Infrastructure, the 2nd largest commercial port operator in India, deserves special recognition as a key contributor to the Indian mining industry. The Port of Jaigarh in Maharashtra has been developing under the direction of JSW, and a new specialised barge-loading jetty was built as part of this infrastructure improvement to increase its ability to accommodate 15 million tonnes per year through the Telestack units.

Telestack was initially selected as the project's preferred supplier in 2014 after closely collaborating with the engineering and project teams at JSW to create concepts and layouts from the project's conception. With more than three decades of experience, Telestack has hundreds of bespoke fit-for-purpose installations to their name and provides a wide variety of mobile conveying systems, including ship loaders and unloaders, truck unloaders, hopper and bulk reception feeders, stockpiling and link conveyors, and telescopic stackers.

Recycling Dream of India: Transforming Trash into Treasure

The recycling of waste is a sector that is equally important to India's growth story. Being the most populous nation in the world and one of the top five global economies, managing garbage responsibly is not only necessary for the environment but also has the potential to be extremely profitable. According to a study by Mordor Intelligence, India’s waste management market size, estimated at USD 32.09 billion in 2023, is expected to reach USD 35.87 billion by 2028, growing at a CAGR of 2.25% during that forecast period.[2]

Looking ahead, the Indian government wants to turn garbage from a mere consequence of consumption into a usable resource. Specifically, India’s Waste to Wealth Mission, an initiative spearheaded by the office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, seeks to leverage technological capabilities to address the issues of waste disposal, poor air quality and increasing pollution, the ultimate goal being to promote a circular economy that creates socio-economic benefits for the population and the environment and build a zero landfill and zero waste nation.

EDGE Innovate is a significant player from Northern Ireland which has the potential to bring a wealth of benefits to India’s recycling sector. they manufacture a range of slow speed mobile shredders, trommels, conveyors that can be adapted to suit various waste streams including C&I, MSW, C&D, wood, green waste, and help support nationwide recycling organisations.

Ulster Shredders manufactures static and truck mounted shredders for E-waste and other waste types, their presence in India, although in the early stages, is testimony to their expertise with a current installation at an e-waste site, which will provide a great reference for future end users.

CK International Ltd specialises in supply of vertical, semi-automatic and twin ram Balers for global waste recycling industry.

The Unique Touch of Northern Ireland

Despite its modest size with a population of 1.8 million, Northern Ireland punches above its weight. This unassuming part of the UK manufactures around 40% of the world’s mobile crushing and screening equipment.

It has long been a centre for technological developments and environmentally friendly mining and recycling machinery. Cutting-edge technologies have been developed by Northern Ireland businesses over many decades to make mining operations more productive, safer, and less harmful to the environment. These companies have been operating successfully in Northern Ireland for many years, supported by a comprehensive and competitive supply chain, their proficiency in bulk materials handling, crushing & screening and remote monitoring can be extremely helpful to India's efforts to modernise its mining industry.

The expertise of Northern Ireland in waste recycling - encompassing municipal solid waste, e-waste and construction & demolition waste is also well known. Northern Ireland businesses can offer solutions that India so needs, whether through the conversion of organic waste into energy or the upcycling of waste materials into new products. These companies have the potential to assist India in realising its vision of a circular economy, better landfill utilisation, and waste-to-wealth conversion.

Some companies from Northern Ireland like Powerscreen , Finlay , CDE Group , Smiley Monroe Group are invested heavily in the Indian market and set up manufacturing bases to cater to the vast burgeoning market.

A Joint Venture for the Future

India has big ambitions to boost its economy and improve its environment in line with its economic strategy "Vision 2047". Northern Ireland’s specialised skills and knowledge make it the ideal partner to support India on this path. From introducing smart gear to establishing innovative recycling facilities, the synergy between these two regions is evident. For businesses across the subcontinent, the opportunity is ripe for importing world-class technologies from Northern Ireland as well as establish business in the region- the only region in the world to be able to trade goods freely with both GB and EU markets.

[1] “India should be Aatmanirbhar in Mining sector”, Press Information Bureau, 1 March 2023: see here; Official Announcement by the Chief Inspector of Mines and Director General of Mines Safety, Directorate General of Mines Safety, 14 September 2020: see here.

[2] “Waste Management in India Market Size and Analysis”, Mordor Intelligence: see here.