Hyderabad, Aug 07: Calling the plastics and polymers sector a “salient engine of India’s economic growth,” Telangana Minister for Information Technology, Electronics, Communications, Industries & Commerce D. Sridhar Babu appealed to industry stakeholders to join hands with the government in making Telangana a leading hub for plastics and polymer manufacturing.
The Minister inaugurated HIPLEX 2026, South & Central India’s largest plastics exhibition and India’s third-largest plastics expo, at the HITEX Exhibition Centre on Friday.
The four-day international exhibition, organised by the Telangana and Andhra Plastics Manufacturers Association (TAAPMA), features over 550 exhibitors and is expected to attract more than 55,000 business visitors from India and abroad.
Addressing a gathering of over 500 industry leaders, entrepreneurs and exhibitors, the Minister said the exhibition represents much more than machines and products.
Everyone presents here has experienced plastics in one form or another throughout life’s journey. This exhibition is not merely about products and machinery. It reflects dreams, entrepreneurship, innovation and the courage to invest in the future, he said.
He said almost every manufacturing sector today depends on plastics and polymers in some form.
“The plastics and polymers industry is a salient engine of India’s economic growth. It provides direct employment to nearly 50 lakh people and indirect employment to over one crore. In Telangana alone, nearly two lakh families depend on this industry for their livelihood.”
He observed that as manufacturing grows, industries expand, employment increases and the country’s economy prosper.
Referring to the challenges faced by the sector, the Minister said the industry has successfully navigated geopolitical uncertainties, volatile crude oil prices, fluctuating polymer prices, logistics disruptions, energy challenges and labour shortages.
“Industries are not built in easy times. They are built in difficult times. Your resilience has made you stronger than ever.”, he added.
Assuring continued government support, he said: “The Telangana Government is your partner in progress. Your success is our success. Whenever policy intervention is required for the betterment of the industry, the Government will stand with you.”
Highlighting Telangana’s industrial growth story, the Minister said the State has already established itself as a leader in IT, ITeS, Electronics, Pharmaceuticals, Global Capability Centres (GCCs), Defence and Aerospace.
“We now want to replicate the same success in the plastics and polymers sector. The future belongs to industries that innovate responsibly, embrace sustainability and adopt green manufacturing practices. Let us together make Telangana the preferred destination for plastics and polymer manufacturing.”
The Minister also released the HIPLEX 2026 Show Directory.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Raju Desai, President, Plastindia Foundation, said India’s plastics industry has grown into a ₹4.5 lakh crore industry, expanding at 6-9 per cent annually, with similar growth expected through 2031.
The industry today employs nearly 55 lakh people, while exports are expected to cross ₹1.4 lakh crore this year.
He said India recycles nearly 60 per cent of the plastics it consumes, placing the country among the global leaders in plastic recycling.
Dr. Desai noted that packaging continues to account for nearly half of the industry’s demand, while healthcare, pharmaceuticals and medical devices are among the fastest-growing segments. The automotive sector, driven by lightweight materials and electric vehicles, contributes around 15 per cent of consumption.
Arvind Mehta, Chairman, Governing Council, All India Plastics Manufacturers’ Association (AIPMA), said the industry must now focus on four strategic priorities—exports, technology adoption, skill development and sustainability.
He observed that India has enormous potential to significantly expand exports of plastic products and become a stronger global manufacturing base.
Anil Reddy Vennam, Senior Vice President, AIPMA, appealed to the Governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to establish a dedicated Plastics Park with world-class infrastructure that would enable MSMEs to set up manufacturing units.
He also requested the allocation of 250 acres for a Recycling Cluster with a Common Effluent Treatment Plant.
He urged both State Governments to encourage investments in infrastructure, water management, packaging and medical plastics, with the goal of increasing plastics consumption in the two States to two million tonnes by 2030 and raising their share in the national market to over 8 per cent.
He said HIPLEX has been provided with a dedicated 2 MW power supply to enable exhibitors to conduct live demonstrations of advanced processing machinery, recycling systems, bio-polymers and next-generation polymer technologies.
Narendra Baldwa, President, TAAPMA, said the 55-year-old association, representing more than 1,000 members, has consistently promoted technology, innovation and sustainability in the plastics sector.
Meela Jayadev, Convener, HIPLEX 2026, said plastics have become indispensable to modern life.
“From a pin to an aeroplane, plastics are everywhere. The real question is not whether plastics should exist, but how responsibly they should be produced, used and recycled.”
He noted that India’s per capita plastic consumption is around 7 kg, compared with 24 kg in China, indicating tremendous growth potential.
One of the biggest attractions at HIPLEX 2026 is the Dedicated Recycling Pavilion, where visitors can witness how discarded plastics are transformed into high-value products such as roads, railway sleepers, furniture, construction materials and even garments.
The exhibition also features live machinery demonstrations, technical conferences, knowledge sessions and business networking events covering emerging raw materials, recycling technologies, sustainability, automation and future manufacturing trends.
HIPLEX 2026 is spread across seven exhibition halls covering over 26,000 square metres and will remain open to visitors until August 10, from 10.00 am to 6.00 pm each day.