The challenge was never the science. The cement industry, like many heavy industries, is naturally cautious when it comes to introducing new materials. Cement forms the foundation of homes, roads, bridges, and critical infrastructure. As a result, companies tend to be highly risk-averse. India is also a unique market with uniquely diverse climatic zones.

For many years, LC3 remained in the research and demonstration phase. Although there was considerable interest from major cement manufacturers, the absence of certification from the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) prevented commercial production. IIT Delhi had been championing for it, with all the scientific knowledge they had gathered through their research. So, it was a major milestone when LC3 received BIS standard in 2023 (IS 18189: 2023). However, even after standard, companies remained in a "wait-and-watch" mode. Despite knowing that it was commercially used in many other countries across the globe, everyone wanted to see who would take the first step in India. That was IKI Interface Project’s trigger to provide support to this technology.

Another challenge emerged unexpectedly. While BIS certification enabled production, cement manufacturers were also required to obtain approvals from State Pollution Control Boards. Since LC3 was a new technology, regulators themselves needed technical understanding of how the material would affect emissions and environmental compliance.

By the time IKI became involved, LC3 was already scientifically proven and the BIS certification was in place. What was missing was targeted support to move the technology from readiness to commercial adoption. IKI recognised that this was a critical moment. Without additional support, commercial uptake could have been delayed by several years.

Through cooperation with IIT Delhi, one of the leading institutions behind LC3 research, IKI helped address the remaining bottlenecks. This included supporting technical engagement with regulators, particularly the Rajasthan Pollution Control Board, to build understanding of the technology and facilitate informed decision-making.

After several rounds of consultations and technical discussions, JK Cement received the necessary approvals and became the first company in the Indian subcontinent to commercially produce LC3. But commercial production was only one part of the story. The next challenge was creating demand. LODHA group, a large construction company, came forward to use LC3 in their Mumbai project – Palava City.

Through technical support from IIT Delhi, engineering teams at LODHA were trained on how to use LC3 effectively in concrete applications. This helped build confidence among users and enabled the first commercial pilot.

The objective was simple: demonstrate that LC3 could be produced, purchased, and successfully used in a real-world project. Once that proof point existed, market confidence began to grow.

The next phase is scale. The first commercial breakthrough came with JK Cement. A few months later, JK Lakshmi Cement also entered the market. This demonstrated that the initial psychological barrier had begun to break. However, two producers are not enough for a country of India s size. Today, OPC still accounts for roughly a quarter of India s cement market. To achieve meaningful decarbonisation, LC3 must gradually replace a significant portion of this market share.

Increasing production will require both industry engagement and stronger market demand. More awareness and technical support are needed to encourage additional cement companies to adopt the technology. At the same time, demand-side interventions are equally important. Infrastructure developers, real estate companies, public procurement agencies, and construction firms need greater awareness of LC3 s environmental and performance benefits.

In many ways, demand creation may be the most important driver. Once the market begins actively asking for LC3, cement manufacturers who have already produced LC3 can deliver.

One important step would be the development of a national green cement certification framework. India has already begun developing green rating systems for steel. A similar framework for cement could create a common basis for recognising and differentiating lower-carbon products.

Such a framework would support future policy incentives, green procurement policies, and potentially participation in carbon markets.

Public procurement can also play a transformative role. Government agencies and public-sector construction companies are among the largest consumers of construction materials in India.

If organisations such as CPWD, NBCC, and other public infrastructure agencies begin prioritising low-carbon cement in procurement processes, it would create substantial demand and provide strong market signals for manufacturers. The combination of certification, procurement and awareness for demand generation could significantly accelerate LC3 adoption across the country.

Commercialisation was only one component of the broader collaboration with IIT Delhi. IKI has also supported research aimed at expanding the applications and climate benefits of LC3. One area of work focuses on understanding how LC3 performs in harsh environments, including highly acidic and highly alkaline conditions such as sewer systems. Researchers at IIT Delhi are conducting long-term durability testing to evaluate performance under these challenging conditions.

Another area explores how to further reduce LC3 s carbon footprint. Although LC3 requires significantly less energy than conventional clinker production, calcined clay still needs to be heated to around 800°C. To address this, IIT Delhi is testing solar concentrator technology that could potentially replace fossil-fuel-based heating during clay calcination.

Drawing on collaboration and technical exchanges with researchers in Germany, IIT Delhi has developed and tested a laboratory-scale solar concentrator capable of achieving temperatures of up to 900°C. If successfully scaled, this innovation could further reduce emissions and make LC3 one of the lowest-carbon cement options available.

Finally, IKI has supported research on life-cycle assessment methodologies and green rating frameworks for cement. This work aims to provide the scientific foundation for future policy development and industry standards.