The Indian Newspaper Society (INS) voiced serious concerns over inadequate domestic newsprint quality and capacity utilisation in India.
INS President Vivek Gupta highlighted the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade’s 2024-25 report. It states 123 newsprint mills boast an installed capacity of 2.2 million tonnes annually. Yet, actual production lags far behind, undermining claims of sufficient supply.
Quality issues compound the problem. The Bureau of Indian Standards classifies newsprint into Grade 1 and Grade 2. Grade 1 matches imported standards with superior brightness, smoothness, strength, and porosity. It supports high-speed printing presses effectively.
Grade 2, typical of domestic production, meets minimum BIS thresholds but falters in performance. It shows inconsistent brightness, poor smoothness, causing ink feathering, weak mechanical strength leading to web breaks, and irregular porosity, increasing ink use. These flaws result in higher wastage, slower speeds, and delayed deliveries.
A comparison table reveals stark differences: Grade 1 requires at least 55% brightness, while Grade 2 settles for 52%. Smoothness limits are 200 ml/min for Grade 1 on the top side and 250 for Grade 2. Tensile and tearing indices also favour Grade 1.
BIS standards for Grade 2 focus on basic acceptability, not suitability for modern operations. Also, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had emphasised the need to align with global benchmarks to boost quality and trade.
INS stresses that domestic newsprint quality fails Indian publishers’ needs. Imports remain vital until mills upgrade to international levels for reliable, efficient production.
