NEW DELHI: India’s consumer affairs ministry plans to mandate a three-month shelf life for specialized cement, shorter testing timelines and more detailed batch and product information for the critical construction material, two government officials involved in the process said.
Specialized cement varies in composition and performance requirements from normal cement used in general construction. It is used in applications requiring enhanced performance or durability such as dams and bridges.
With inadequate storage facilities for cement at construction sites, a “three-month best-before” tag will help ensure that cement is not used beyond the recommended period, when moisture in the air can make it lose its compressive strength.
The ministry will move ahead with the proposal after consultations with all stakeholders such as cement manufacturers and infrastructure developers. Cement bags now contain information such as manufacturer details and batch number.
A ‘best before’ date marked on the cement bags will make it easier for buyers to assess by when they should be used. For manufacturers, the revisions could require changes to packaging and marking processes and stricter adherence to testing timelines.
“From an industry perspective, such a system can strengthen quality awareness and build greater confidence among end-users,” said Aparna Reddy, executive director of Aparna Enterprises Ltd, a maker of building materials in Hyderabad. “It also provides an opportunity for manufacturers and the broader construction ecosystem to adopt better storage, distribution and stock-rotation practices.”
The government and its agencies are stepping up spending on highways, bridges, dams and other large infrastructure projects, where the quality of construction materials can have a direct bearing on the durability and lifespan of assets. Government scrutiny of construction quality has also increased after a series of bridge collapses and deficiencies in highway projects.
While the Bureau of Indian Standards lists dams, water-retaining structures, bridge abutments, retaining walls, piers and slabs as applications for low-heat Portland cement, it specifies specialized cement for mass concrete structures where heat generation needs to be controlled.
Informed decisions
“For consumers, contractors and builders, it will make it easier to understand how long the product has been in storage and make more informed purchasing decisions. It can also encourage better inventory management across dealers, distributors and project sites, reducing the chances of cement being stored for unnecessarily long periods,” Reddy said.
India’s cement production increased 8.6% to 491.4 million metric tonnes (MT) in FY26, according to an Icra report. Average cement prices increased by 2% to ₹345 per bag in FY26. Icra expects cement volumes to grow by 7-8% in FY27.
The focus on durability comes against the backdrop of an ageing infrastructure stock: 1,681, or about 26%, of India’s 6,628 specified dams are more than 50 years old, including 291 that are more than a century old, according to a 13 May government statement.
“As India is developing and infrastructure is a critical part of the country’s growth story, maintaining quality is a top priority for the government. The best-before requirement will ensure better utilization of raw materials and help prevent the use of cement beyond its recommended period, ensuring better quality and performance in construction,” one government official said, requesting anonymity.
“Introducing a ‘best-before’ date on cement bags can be a positive step for the construction industry provided it is implemented in a practical and industry-friendly manner,” said Reddy. “Cement is a critical material where quality and performance directly impact the strength and durability of a structure, and a clear date on the packaging will bring greater transparency to the supply chain.”
The proposed tightening of norms for specialized cement comes as the government seeks to strengthen the foundations of a rapidly expanding infrastructure pipeline, with a series of high-value projects involving dams, bridges, tunnels and coastal highways underway.
Mandatory norm
In response to a Mint query, a BIS spokesperson said the requirement to mention a ‘best before’ date is covered under the marking clause of individual cement standards and that all cement standards are also covered under the Cement (Quality Control) Order, 2003.
While such norms are generally voluntary, a standard under a Quality Control Order becomes mandatory for manufacturers, requiring them to comply with the specified requirements before the product can be sold in the market.
“A clear best-before date, batch-level traceability and time-bound testing can help purchasers verify that the material being used meets the required specifications,” said H.K. Sharma, former additional director general (supply), Indian Supply Service, and former national president of the Indian Institute of Materials Management. “This becomes particularly important for projects where the cost of a material failure is much higher than the cost of strengthening quality checks at the procurement stage.”
“The proposed norms also require samples to be tested at the earliest possible opportunity, i.e. three hours after the procurement, with testing completed within three months of receipt of samples,” the first government official said.
Samples of low-heat cement should be drawn within three weeks of delivery and testing should commence within one week of sampling. Where testing cannot begin within that period, samples are to be packed and stored in airtight containers until testing.
The proposed plan also allows a purchaser or their representative to seek independent testing. In such cases, samples can be taken before or immediately after delivery. If the cement fails to meet the standard, the manufacturer bears the testing cost; and if it complies, the purchaser bears the cost unless otherwise specified.
Chloride content
The proposed revision of the low-heat cement standard also introduces a maximum total chloride content of 0.1% by mass for low-heat Portland cement used in plain and reinforced concrete. This means that for every 100 kg of cement, the chloride content should not be more than 100 grams.
“The lower chloride content will help reduce the risk of corrosion of steel reinforcement and improve the durability of concrete structures,” said the second government official.
The proposals retain flexibility in certain areas. For example, the low-heat cement draft allows 25-kg packing, subject to specified tolerances and agreements between purchasers and manufacturers, while bulk supplies can be made by arrangement.