Akzo Nobel–JSW partnership set to strengthen aerospace coatings manufacturing in India

In a major development aligned with India’s Make-in-India and Atmanirbhar Bharat vision, Dutch multinational Akzo Nobel NV has announced a long-term strategic partnership with JSW Group, under which it will retain and expand its aerospace and marine coatings operations in India, while transferring its decorative paints business, including the iconic Dulux brand to JSW Paints.

The move marks a significant pivot in Akzo Nobel’s India strategy, shifting focus toward high-performance coatings, particularly in sectors critical to national growth such as aerospace, marine, and industrial applications.

“India Remains a Large and Important Presence for Us”

Speaking about the long-term commitment to India, Greg Poux-Guillaume, CEO of Akzo Nobel NV, emphasized that India will continue to play a key role in the company’s global footprint. “So India remains a large and important presence for us,” he said. “And it remains a significant market for us to tackle, but with powder and with things like aerospace.”

He also reaffirmed that the relationship with JSW is more than a one-time transaction, positioning Akzo Nobel as a perpetual technology partner for advanced coatings.

“This is a long-term partnership and we will be JSW’s technology partner for the coating businesses and that is for perpetuity,” Poux-Guillaume noted. “We have a lot of businesses that have potential applications in India.”

As Akzo Nobel shifts away from the decorative segment, it will deepen investments in aerospace, marine, and powder coatings, which are highly specialized and technology-intensive. These coatings are essential in aviation for corrosion protection, thermal regulation, and environmental resistance, especially for commercial and defence aircraft.

The decision to continue operating and expanding its R&D centre and powder coating business in India is seen as a significant boost for the domestic MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) ecosystem, which has long relied on imported coatings for aircraft painting and refurbishment.

With India emerging as a regional hub for aircraft maintenance, the ability to source aerospace-grade coatings domestically will help reduce costs, shorten turnaround times, and support OEM compliance across both civil and defence aviation sectors.

Industry observers have hailed the development as a critical enabler of Atmanirbharta, India’s push for self-reliance in high-technology domains. As more narrowbody and regional aircraft enter Indian skies, and as the country gears up to become an MRO hub under the UDAN and defence corridor programs, localized access to certified coating materials will play a pivotal role in enabling faster and more cost-efficient fleet maintenance.

As India’s aviation and defence industries scale up, this alliance is poised to become a cornerstone of the country’s aerospace self-reliance journey.