Aether Industries has partnered with Dow India to jointly develop next-generation silicone manufacturing technologies in India, the two companies announced on August 1, 2026. The collaboration pairs Aether’s chemistry and manufacturing expertise with Dow’s global leadership in silicone applications, with research and pilot-scale work based at Aether’s R&D facility in Surat, Gujarat.
Aether Industries, a Surat-based specialty chemicals manufacturer and contract research and manufacturing services (CRAMS) provider, will serve as Dow’s exclusive research partner for the program. Dow Performance Materials & Coatings will bring its silicone applications expertise to the partnership, targeting industries including construction, mobility and transportation, electronics, healthcare and personal care.
Why Are Aether Industries and Dow India Partnering on Silicones?
Dow named Aether as its exclusive research partner to accelerate development of new silicone manufacturing technologies for the Indian market. Aman Desai, Co-Founder and Director, Research and Operations at Aether Industries, said the tie-up combines Aether’s core chemistry and technology competencies with Dow’s global silicone leadership, calling it a platform to address India’s “rapidly expanding silicone materials market.” Brendy Lange, President of Dow Performance Materials & Coatings, said the partnership “strengthens Dow’s ability to bring materials science innovation closer to high-growth markets and evolving customer needs.”
What Does This Mean for India’s Specialty Chemicals Sector?
Silicones are used across construction, mobility, electronics, healthcare and personal care, and the joint program is designed to move discoveries from lab science to scalable, commercial manufacturing technology inside India rather than importing finished silicone chemistries. Mukund Parthasarathy, Business Vice President of R&D at Dow Performance Materials & Coatings, said the collaborative approach will help the companies “move faster from science to scalable technologies.” Siddhartha Ghosal, Country President of Dow India, added that the program aims to “support local innovation” and expand access to high-performance silicone solutions for Indian customers.
Market Reaction and Industry Response
The announcement was reported across Indian chemical trade press, including Indian Chemical News and Chemical Weekly, and follows a string of R&D partnerships in India’s specialty chemicals space this year. Analysts tracking the sector have flagged advanced materials and CRAMS partnerships as a growth area as global majors like Dow look to localise research and reduce dependence on imported specialty inputs. Aether Industries, a listed specialty chemicals player, has built its business around servicing global innovator companies through dedicated R&D and manufacturing capacity, and the Dow tie-up extends that model into an entirely new materials category for the company.
What Happens Next?
Research and pilot-scale development will proceed at Aether’s Surat facility, with the framework structured to support potential commercialisation and industrial-scale production of technologies that emerge from the program. Neither company has disclosed a timeline for scale-up or the financial terms of the arrangement. The tie-up adds to Dow’s broader push to embed R&D closer to high-growth markets such as India, and to Aether’s strategy of deepening long-term partnerships with global specialty chemical majors as it diversifies beyond its core CRAMS business.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Aether Industries-Dow India silicone partnership about?
Aether Industries and Dow India have launched a joint research program to develop next-generation silicone manufacturing technologies, with research and pilot-scale work based at Aether’s facility in Surat, Gujarat.
Why did Dow choose Aether Industries as its research partner?
Dow named Aether its exclusive research partner for the program, citing Aether’s chemistry and manufacturing expertise as complementary to Dow’s global leadership in silicone applications.
Which industries will benefit from the new silicone technologies?
The partnership targets applications across construction, mobility and transportation, electronics, healthcare and personal care, sectors where silicones are widely used as high-performance materials.
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