Afton Chemical announced it had broken ground on a new driveline and industrial lubricant additives manufacturing facility in Maharashtra, India, as the company expands its production network to serve growing demand in the country and other international markets.
The plant will be operated by Afton’s long-term manufacturing partner, LSR Speciality Oils Pvt Ltd. Commercial production is expected to begin in the first half of 2028. The investment builds on Afton’s existing Indian manufacturing capabilities for engine oil and off-road additives and complements further manufacturing investment at its Singapore facility.
India offers a substantial market for lubricant additive suppliers. According to government data, the country had 391.07 million registered vehicles last year, making it one of the world’s largest vehicle markets. Two-wheelers accounted for 286.75 million registrations, while cars, jeeps and taxis numbered 56.3 million. The total vehicle population has increased almost 15-fold since 1991.
The scale of the fleet supports a large aftermarket for engine oils, transmission fluids, greases and other automotive lubricants. Two-wheelers represent the largest segment, creating considerable demand for motorcycle engine oils and their associated additive packages.
New vehicle sales are adding to that market. According to the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers, domestic sales across passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, three-wheelers and two-wheelers reached a combined 28.27 million units in financial year 2025-26, the highest annual total recorded across the four categories.
India is also a major automotive manufacturing and export centre, with reported total automobile production of 34.71 million units in 2025-26, including 26.69 million two-wheelers, 5.54 million passenger vehicles and 1.17 million commercial vehicles.
Afton President Brian Paliotti said in a press release the investment would strengthen the company’s global manufacturing network, improve supply chain resilience and support customers around the world. The company said the Maharashtra facility would serve customers in ASEAN, Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Latin America and the Middle East.