Strength That Endures: Why Zinc Is Critical To India’s Infrastructure Growth

Bernardo Duran - Manager, Technology & Market Development, International Zinc Association

India today stands at a defining moment in its development journey. Across the nation, an unprecedented wave of infrastructure creation is reshaping the landscape – from high-speed expressways and integrated industrial corridors to modern metro networks, renewable energy grids, and futuristic urban spaces. At the core of this progress lies steel – the backbone of modern infrastructure and a symbol of national strength. Yet, in India’s diverse climate, steel faces a relentless adversary: corrosion. In a country defined by monsoons, coastal salinity, pollution-heavy urban air, and winter moisture, the threat of corrosion is constant and costly. To protect the backbone of our infrastructure, zinc galvanisation must become a strategic imperative. 

The Cost of Corrosion and the Case for Zinc

Corrosion often begins quietly — a thin film of rust on a bridge joint, a discoloured patch on a water pipeline, or a weakened fastener on a utility pole. But its impact is far from small. Each year, early corrosion triggers unplanned maintenance, system downtime, safety hazards, and avoidable capital expenditure. Hot-dip galvanisation, which metallurgically coats steel with metallic zinc, provides long-term protection by forming a durable barrier coating and offering sacrificial protection. This ensures performance and reliability not just for a few years, but for decades – maximising the value of every infrastructure investment. This long-term reliability is also why galvanisation remains the most efficient protection method when evaluated across the full life cycle of a project. While alternatives like paint may seem cost-effective initially, their frequent reapplication and shorter service life make them significantly less economical when compared with the multi-decade shield offered by galvanisation. 

As India strengthens its push toward corrosion-resistant, long-life infrastructure, the availability of high-quality domestically produced zinc becomes critical - a role that Hindustan Zinc continues to support by ensuring reliable access to the metal that enables galvanisation at scale.

Strengthening India’s Water and Urban Systems

As Indian cities continue to grow both vertically and horizontally, the need for robust galvanised solutions across utilities infrastructure is more critical than ever. Galvanised Iron (GI) pipes play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of municipal supply systems and high-rise buildings, especially under fluctuating pressures. During winter, moisture stagnation inside pipelines and condensation on their surfaces can lead to internal corrosion in unprotected steel pipes. This degradation often goes unnoticed until significant damage has occurred, risking water quality and system reliability. GI pipes, however, resist this hidden corrosion, ensuring consistent water flow and fire safety readiness. This resilience is essential in high-stakes environments such as hospitals, airports, residential towers, and transit hubs, places where system failures are simply not an option.

Ensuring Longevity in Transport and Energy Infrastructure

India’s transport and energy sectors require durability throughout the year to support the nation’s growth. Steel components – from railway structures and road barriers to station equipment, transmission towers, solar installations, and wind turbine components – are continuously exposed to harsh environmental conditions and heavy operational demands. Galvanised steel provides a robust defence against corrosion, enabling these vital systems to withstand wear and tear over time. By minimising maintenance interruptions and extending replacement cycles, galvanisation plays a crucial role in sustaining the flow of urban life and enhancing industrial productivity across India. It is important to note that improved durability through galvanisation does not reduce the steel demand. With India targeting a doubling of steel production in the next five years for domestic growth and exports, the steel saved by preventing corrosion simply becomes available for other infrastructure assets — strengthening overall national output and efficiency.

Durability Is the New Sustainability

India’s infrastructure vision must move hand in hand with its sustainability agenda. The longer an asset endures, the fewer resources it demands over its lifecycle. Galvanisation advances this principle by minimising the demand for additional steel and reducing emissions associated with repairs. The greenest infrastructure is not just the one built using renewable technologies; it is the one that does not need to be rebuilt frequently. Durability, in this sense, is not just an engineering advantage; it is a cornerstone of India’s climate commitments and circular economy goals.

Reframing What ‘Good Infrastructure’ Means

For decades, India’s construction approach has been guided by first-cost thinking, prioritising how quickly and cheaply infrastructure can be built. Yet true value lies not in initial savings, but in long-term performance. Infrastructure must continue delivering safety, reliability, and efficiency long after its inauguration.

By embedding lifecycle performance into procurement and planning, India can ensure sustained functionality and reduced maintenance costs. Integrating galvanisation at the design stage, rather than treating it as a retrofit measure, prevents corrosion-related failures that disrupt urban life and drain resources.

As the nation charts its course to Viksit Bharat 2047, strength must be measured not by appearance but by endurance. Beneath the surface, galvanisation provides that assurance. Its protective zinc coating acts as a steadfast guardian of India’s most critical assets, allowing them to serve citizens for generations.

To choose galvanisation is to invest in infrastructure that endures – resilient through every season, every phase of growth, and every milestone of India’s development journey.