India’s escalating water crisis has given rise to desalination as a promising solution, leveraging the country’s extensive 7,800-km coastline to access abundant seawater resources. The desalination market in the country is experiencing growing interest, driven by exploration of innovative technologies that are fuelling steady growth and expansion. Further, public-private partnerships (PPPs) in desalination projects aim to deploy innovative technologies and reap the advantages of private sector expertise and financial aid to the maximum extent. There is a rising push for uptake of measures to make the desalination process sustainable through the use of solar energy and other initiatives. Besides, there are several research and development (R&D)-related initiatives aiming to make the segment more resilient and cost-effective.
Operational and upcoming capacity
India’s desalination market is making steady progress. The projects are focused on treating seawater efficiently across various states to meet the growing water demand. According to India Infrastructure Research, currently, around 410 million litres per day (mld) of municipal desalination and 400 mld of industrial desalination plants are operational in the country. The key completed municipal desalination projects include the Nemmeli Desalination Plant I and II, with capacities of 110 mld and 150 mld respectively, and the Minjur Desalination Plant in Tamil Nadu, with a capacity of 100 mld. In the industrial segment, Jamnagar Desalination Plant (134 mld), Dahej Desalination Plant (100 mld) and Essar Oil Refinery Desalination Plant (65 mld) are the key operational desalination plants.
India’s desalination initiatives are poised for growth, with several upcoming projects in the pipeline. Based on the projects analysed by India Infrastructure Research, an approximate capacity of 1,000 mld of municipal desalination plants is planned to come up by 2027 in states including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Puducherry, at an investment size of around Rs 100 billion. In order of capacity, a few important upcoming plants are Perur Desalination Plant (400 mld) in Tamil Nadu, Manori Desalination Plant (200 mld) in Maharashtra and Mandvi Desalination Plant (100 mld) in Gujarat.
In the industrial segment, a capacity addition of around 800 mld is estimated to be operational by 2027 in states including Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep Islands, at an investment size of around Rs 38 billion. A few important upcoming projects are Indosol Solar PV Manufacturing Facility Desalination Plant (100 mld) in Andhra Pradesh, Gundiyali Village Desalination Plant (100 mld) in Gujarat and Mullakadu Desalination Plant Project, Tuticorin (60 mld) in Tamil Nadu.
Further, the desalination segment is witnessing the rising involvement of PPPs. This can be attributed to the capital-intensive nature of projects, their subsequent high costs and the need for specialised expertise for their execution. By leveraging private sector capabilities, governments can tap into innovative technologies, alternative financing options, etc. The top three under-construction desalination plants being developed in PPP mode are Perur Desalination Plant, Mandvi Desalination Plant and Gundiyali Village Desalination Plant.
Rise in decentralisation of plants
Small-capacity desalination plants are also picking up pace in India. These offer numerous benefits such as low cost, ease of setting up and reduced reliance on freshwater sources. Some of the upcoming low-capacity desalination plants in the industrial segment are Tuticorin Desalination Plant (5 mld) and V.O. Chidambaranar Port Desalination Plant (3 mld) in Tamil Nadu, Khavda Desalination Plant (1 mld) in Gujarat and OTEC Kavaratti Desalination Plant (0.10 mld) in Lakshadweep Island. These can help cater to the water needs of industries, have comparatively lower carbon emissions and contribute significantly to water-efficient operations.
Adoption of sustainable measures and rising R&D innovations
As per industry estimates, desalination of 1,000 cubic metres of seawater results in the release of around 7 tonnes of carbon dioxide. This demonstrates that desalination plants have a high carbon footprint. With an increasing impetus on reducing carbon emissions and the adoption of sustainable measures, the industry is increasingly turning towards renewable energy to power desalination plants.
Moreover, several energy-efficient seawater reverse osmosis (RO) solutions are being explored and deployed for pumping and pressure management. For instance, the use of axial piston pumps is gaining prominence as a high-performance and ultra-low energy consumption pumping solution. Energy-efficient axial piston pumps for RO processes are offered by private players such as Danfoss Industries Private Limited. These are estimated to provide around 20 per cent higher energy efficiency, relative to alternative options such as centrifugal pumps. As the desalination market in India picks up pace, many global best practices offer huge learning for achieving better and efficient output.
Given the higher environmental impact of desalination plants due to the massive brine discharge, tools such as life cycle assessment are being deployed globally to measure, manage and lower this impact. For instance, this tool was deployed by IDE Technologies for estimating the environmental impact of the Sorek II Desalination Plant in Israel.
Meanwhile, this plant has also deployed various carbon-negative solutions such as a carbon capture system. This system facilitates self-generation of carbon dioxide (required for the desalination process) on-site and reduces the carbon footprint.
There has been a significant emphasis on research of new technologies and innovations to make desalination efficient, faster, cost-effective and sustainable. In line with this, in April 2025, scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay have invented a new material for evaporators to facilitate water desalination. Evaporators are crucial parts of desalination plants. This newly developed dual-sided super hydrophobic laser-induced graphene (DSLIG) repels water and thus reduces the contact area between water droplets and the material surface. This helps prevent the deposition of salt crystals on the surface of evaporators, which is a major cause of reduced efficiency over time.
The researchers have coated a layer of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) on one side and a thin layer of polyether sulphone (PES) on the other. Graphene is then engraved on the PVDF polymer side using laser technology. The use of PVDF results in hydrophobicity on both surfaces, while the use of PES ensures mechanical stability of evaporators. As per laboratory tests, DSLIG is also beneficial in treating extremely concentrated salt solutions. The low carbon footprint, low toxicity and cost-effectiveness make DSLIG ideal for large-scale desalination applications.
In another important development, in January 2025, researchers from IIT Indore have developed a solar energy-based water-purification system. Reportedly, the system has incorporated interfacial solar steam generation technology, which combines solar energy with advanced photothermal materials to treat water efficiently and economically. This technology is a low-energy and low-cost alternative to conventional desalination processes such as RO. It is beneficial for remote and coastal areas with abundant seawater and scarce traditional energy sources.
Also, targeted initiatives are aiming to foster synergistic partnerships between academia and the private sector, driving collaborative innovation and progress. Toward this end, in February 2025, IIT Guwahati has signed an MoU with Danfoss Industries Private Limited. This initiative aims to streamline research and innovations in sustainable technologies in areas of water desalination, high-pressure pump systems and waste heat utilisation, among others. A centre of excellence will also be established at IIT Guwahati to efficiently coordinate the collaborative projects and foster innovation.
The way ahead
Desalination holds immense potential to play a crucial role in addressing water scarcity in India by providing a reliable and consistent water supply and reducing dependence on groundwater and other freshwater sources. Desalination will offer a steady water supply, which is unaffected by erratic rainfall patterns or droughts. This can prove to be an efficient method to enhance water security and support the country’s growing water
requirements.
As the segment opportunities expand, the government is laying immense impetus to tap and effectively harness the benefits of desalination to the best of its ability. For instance, the National Water Mission, under the Ministry of Jal Shakti, promotes innovative desalination technologies, including solar desalination, to address water scarcity in coastal areas. Additionally, the Deep Ocean Mission, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences, seeks to leverage ocean wave energy to power desalination plants. These are stepping stones in driving the efficient growth of the desalination market in India.
Aditi Gupta
