India Water Desalination Plants Market Report

India Water Desalination Plants Market Overview:

The India water desalination plants market size reached USD 673.80 Million in 2024. Looking forward, IMARC Group expects the market to reach USD 1,505.11 Million by 2033, exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 9.34% during 2025-2033. Rising water scarcity, government support, and industrial expansion are catalyzing the desalination adoption. Policy incentives and growing demand from industries are strengthening the India water desalination plants market share, making desalination a crucial water solution.

India Water Desalination Plants Market Trends:

Rising Water Scarcity

Increasing shortage of water is a key factor propelling the India water desalination plants market growth as freshwater resources deplete due to rapid urbanization, population growth, and climate change. With over 40% of India’s population anticipated to live in urban areas by year 2030, as projected by NITI Aayog, the demand for water is rising across domestic, industrial, and agricultural sectors. Traditional sources such as rivers and groundwater are becoming insufficient, particularly in coastal and arid regions, prompting authorities to seek alternative solutions. Desalination is emerging as a viable method to address this growing demand by converting seawater and brackish water into potable water. The increasing frequency of droughts and erratic monsoons further worsens the situation, making desalination a critical strategy for water security. Additionally, industries like power generation, refineries, and manufacturing, which require substantial water volumes, are increasingly adopting desalination to ensure operational continuity. As urbanization accelerates and freshwater shortages intensify, desalination is expected to play a crucial role in India’s water infrastructure.

Government Initiatives

Government schemes are playing an important role in shaping the India water desalination plants market outlook by developing sustainable water management and tackling freshwater scarcity. Initiatives such as the Jal Jeevan Mission and Jal Shakti Abhiyan concentrate on providing clean drinking water access, especially to coastal and water-deficient areas, which leads to desalination plant installations. On August 12, 2024, the Jal Jeevan Mission has given piped drinking water connections to 11.82 crore rural families, bringing total coverage to 15.07 crore families, or 77.98% of rural India, as evidence of government focus on increasing water access. The government of India is also backing desalination schemes with the help of public-private partnerships (PPPs), encouraging private investments and innovation. Some states such as Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Maharashtra are making serious investments in desalination plants to satisfy increasing urban and industrial water demand. For example, Chennai has several desalination plants providing millions of liters of drinking water per day. Furthermore, efforts like the National Water Policy and economic incentives for the development of desalination infrastructure are driving market growth. With a growing emphasis on industrial development, the government requires industries to implement sustainable water solutions, increasing desalination plant installations further. Funding for energy-efficient desalination technologies and regulatory reforms are also making desalination more attractive.

India Water Desalination Plants Market Segmentation:

IMARC Group provides an analysis of the key trends in each segment of the market, along with forecasts at the regional level for 2025-2033. Our report has categorized the market based on plant type, technology, and application.

Plant Type Insights:

• Portable
• Land-Based
• Marine-Based

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the plant type. This includes portable, land-based, and marine-based.

Technology Insights:

• Reverse Osmosis (RO)
• Multi-Stage Flash (MSF)
• Multi-Effect Distillation (MED)
• Electrodialysis (ED)
• Vapor Compression (VC)

A detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the technology have also been provided in the report. This includes reverse osmosis (RO), multi-stage flash (MSF), multi-effect distillation (MED), electrodialysis (ED), vapor compression (VC).

Application Insights:

• Municipal
• Industrial
• Oil and Gas
• Power
• Mining
• Agriculture
• Others

The report has provided a detailed breakup and analysis of the market based on the application. This includes municipal, industrial, oil and gas, power, mining, agriculture, and others.

Regional Insights:

• North India
• South India
• East India
• West India

The report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of all the major regional markets, which include North India, South India, East India, and West India.

Competitive Landscape:

The market research report has also provided a comprehensive analysis of the competitive landscape. Competitive analysis such as market structure, key player positioning, top winning strategies, competitive dashboard, and company evaluation quadrant has been covered in the report. Also, detailed profiles of all major companies have been provided.

India Water Desalination Plants Market News:

• In June 2024, the Government of Tamil Nadu invites tenders for a 60 MLD desalination plant in Thoothukudi to meet rising industrial water demands. Valued at ₹1,000 crore, the project will follow a hybrid annuity model, supporting industries while enhancing water sustainability in the region.
• In February 2024, Tamil Nadu launched a 150 MLD desalination plant in Nemmeli, Chennai. Built for ₹1,517 crore, it aims to supply potable water to 900,000 residents in Velachery, Alandur, St. Thomas Mount, Medavakkam, and Pallavaram, enhancing water availability in these regions.
• In August 2023, Tamil Nadu laid the foundation stone of a ₹4,276.44-crore desalination plant at Perur. Funded by JICA, it will treat 400 MLD of seawater, benefiting 2.267 million people. Expected by December 2026, it will be Southeast Asia’s largest desalination plant, enhancing Chennai’s water supply with advanced filtration technology.

India Water Desalination Plants Market Report Coverage:

Key Questions Answered in This Report:

• How has the India water desalination plants market performed so far and how will it perform in the coming years?
• What is the breakup of the India water desalination plants market on the basis of plant type?
• What is the breakup of the India water desalination plants market on the basis of technology?
• What is the breakup of the India water desalination plants market on the basis of application?
• What are the various stages in the value chain of the India water desalination plants market? 
• What are the key driving factors and challenges in the India water desalination plants?
• What is the structure of the India water desalination plants market and who are the key players?
• What is the degree of competition in the India water desalination plants market? 

Key Benefits for Stakeholders:

• IMARC’s industry report offers a comprehensive quantitative analysis of various market segments, historical and current market trends, market forecasts, and dynamics of the India water desalination plants market from 2019-2033.
• The research report provides the latest information on the market drivers, challenges, and opportunities in the India water desalination plants market.
• Porter's five forces analysis assist stakeholders in assessing the impact of new entrants, competitive rivalry, supplier power, buyer power, and the threat of substitution. It helps stakeholders to analyze the level of competition within the India water desalination plants industry and its attractiveness.
• Competitive landscape allows stakeholders to understand their competitive environment and provides an insight into the current positions of key players in the market.