“Ashirvad by aliaxis approaches scale and sustainability as complementary objectives. While expanding manufacturing capacity to meet infrastructure and agricultural demand, we remain focused on water management as a core mission.” Harendra Singh Bisht, Vice President, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Industrial & Exports at Ashirvad by aliaxis
In the landscape of Indian infrastructure and agriculture, the shift from “pipe installation” to “water management” represents an important evolution. As the nation deals with climate variability and the urgent need for water efficiency, the role of advanced material science has never been more critical. In this exclusive conversation, Niranjan Mudholkar, Founder & Editor-in-Chief speaks with Harendra Singh Bisht, Vice President, Agriculture, Infrastructure, Industrial & Exports at Ashirvad by aliaxis, to explore how the company is re-engineering the future of fluid handling.
From the strategic commissioning of a new greenfield facility in Hyderabad to the disruptive potential of smart, sensor-led irrigation, Mr. Bisht outlines a vision where industrial growth and environmental stewardship coexist. He sheds light on how thermoplastics are replacing traditional iron to combat corrosion and how local manufacturing is solving “last mile” affordability for farmers. In fact, Mr. Bisht’s insights reveal a strategy that is as much about social impact as it is about industrial scale—ensuring that high-tech, leak-proof solutions aren’t just for mega-projects, but are affordable and durable enough even for the small-holder farmer. Read on to know why the next five years will be defined by a structural shift toward durable and future-ready water networks.
Tell us about the progress on the plans to commission a new greenfield manufacturing facility in Hyderabad by September 2026. How will that impact your overall capacity and ability to serve your customers in the geography?
The Hyderabad facility is on track and will be operational by the end of September 2026. Once commissioned, Ashirvad by aliaxis’s overall extrusion capacity will increase by ~15%. This expansion will provide us with enhanced flexibility to serve local geographies more effectively, ensuring improved responsiveness and reliability for our customers in the region.
We look forward to leveraging this additional capacity to strengthen our service and support for our valued partners.
Ashirvad is known for shifting the market from traditional iron pipes to high-performance uPVC and HDPE solutions. What manufacturing innovations are currently being deployed to ensure these systems can withstand the diverse and often harsh climatic conditions of rural India?
Ashirvad by aliaxis’s shift from traditional iron pipes to high-performance uPVC, CPVC and HDPE systems is supported by continuous manufacturing innovation and rigorous testing. Through our NABL-accredited R&D centre and a dedicated team of scientists, we have developed solutions such as leak-proof drainage systems, high-rise plumbing technologies, corrosion-resistant pipes and advanced column pipes designed for Indian conditions. These systems are engineered to withstand temperature variations, soil diversity, water quality challenges and long-term rural usage. These measures are put in place to ensure durability and reliability in demanding agricultural environments.
“Sustainability in agri-tech only works when it reaches the farmer in a practical and affordable way. At Ashirvad by aliaxis, we are addressing this by re-engineering our supply chain and product access model to reduce cost and complexity at the last mile.”
Sustainability in agri-tech often fails at the “last mile”. How is Ashirvad re-engineering its supply chain and product design to ensure that technology-led water efficiency is both affordable and accessible to small-holder farmers?
Sustainability in agri-tech only works when it reaches the farmer in a practical and affordable way. At Ashirvad by aliaxis, we are addressing this by re-engineering our supply chain and product access model to reduce cost and complexity at the last mile. Strategic regional manufacturing and compounding facilities, including our unit at Durgapur in West Bengal, help shorten supply distances, lower logistics cost and improve availability in Eastern markets. This is complemented by product designs that focus on durability, ease of installation and long service life. The approach is employed to reduce replacement and maintenance costs for farmers. Together, these measures ensure that water-efficient piping solutions are technologically advanced as well as economically viable for small-holder farmers.
Beyond just selling pipes, Ashirvad is focusing on “water management”. How do you balance the manufacturing demand for high-volume output with the corporate mission of reducing overall water consumption in the agricultural sector?
Ashirvad by aliaxis approaches scale and sustainability as complementary objectives. While expanding manufacturing capacity to meet infrastructure and agricultural demand, we remain focused on water management as a core mission. There are continuous investments made in smart piping technologies that reduce leakage, optimize flow and improve system efficiency. We aim to ensure that higher production volumes translate into lower water loss across the ecosystem. This allows Ashirvad to support national infrastructure growth and contribute meaningfully to reducing overall water consumption in agriculture.
“Over the next five years, the most disruptive frontier in Indian agricultural manufacturing will be smart water infrastructure. It combines advanced material science with sensor-led, data-driven irrigation systems.”
Looking at the next five years, what do you believe will be the single most disruptive “frontier” in Indian agricultural manufacturing? Will it be AI-integrated flow systems, solar-powered irrigation or something entirely different?
Over the next five years, the most disruptive frontier in Indian agricultural manufacturing will be smart water infrastructure. It combines advanced material science with sensor-led, data-driven irrigation systems. While AI and solar will play important roles, the real transformation will come from delivering water more precisely and efficiently at scale. Durable, leak-resistant piping integrated with real-time monitoring can significantly reduce losses, improve crop productivity, and make farms more resilient to climate variability. In a water-stressed country like India, this shift from conventional irrigation to intelligent water delivery will have far deeper impact than any single standalone technology.
Can thermoplastics withstand corrosion-resistant chemicals, and what does this mean for market opportunities?
At Ashirvad by aliaxis, we have consistently focused on material science as a strategic differentiator. Thermoplastics such as uPVC, CPVC, OPVC and HDPE offer excellent resistance to acids, alkalis, salts and a wide range of aggressive chemicals because they do not undergo electrochemical corrosion like metals. This eliminates rusting, scaling and structural degradation over time.
The result is significantly lower maintenance requirements, reduced leakage risks and superior lifecycle economics. As industries increasingly prioritize operational safety, durability and total cost efficiency, thermoplastic piping systems are emerging as the preferred solution for fluid handling.
This trend is opening strong growth opportunities across chemical processing, water and wastewater treatment, pharmaceuticals, food processing and high-purity industrial applications. The shift from traditional materials to engineered polymer systems is not merely a substitution—it represents a structural evolution in industrial infrastructure design.
“The strong performance of OPVC at Ashirvad by aliaxis reflects a broader transformation underway in India’s infrastructure landscape. We are witnessing a clear shift towards higher-performance piping systems driven by urban water supply upgrades, irrigation modernisation, district metering areas and large-scale transmission projects.”
OPVC performed strongly in the third quarter. What changes or new trends are likely to emerge in the infrastructure industry in the months ahead?
The strong performance of OPVC at Ashirvad by aliaxis reflects a broader transformation underway in India’s infrastructure landscape. We are witnessing a clear shift towards higher-performance piping systems driven by urban water supply upgrades, irrigation modernization, district metering areas and large-scale transmission projects.
Utilities and government bodies are increasingly prioritizing long-life, leak-proof networks with lower lifecycle costs rather than focusing solely on upfront procurement cost. This aligns strongly with the advantages offered by OPVC piping solutions from Ashirvad by aliaxis in high-pressure and bulk water transmission applications.
In the months ahead, faster project execution, stricter controls on non-revenue water, and greater accountability for infrastructure performance will accelerate the shift toward advanced engineered piping systems. The focus is no longer on laying pipelines, but on building durable, efficient and future-ready water networks.
At Ashirvad by aliaxis, we are ready to lead this transition with high-performance solutions that deliver long-term value and sustainable impact.
