The National Council for Cement and Building Materials (NCB), operating under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, signed two significant Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) during the 18th NCB International Conference and Exhibition on Cement and Concrete at Yashobhoomi, IICC Dwarka. The event, which concludes on 29th November 2024, will feature the presentation of National Awards for Cement Industry to outstanding cement plants and Best Paper Awards for exceptional contributions presented at the conference.

One MoU was signed between NCB and the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA), India, aimed at advancing research into decarbonisation within the Indian cement sector. The agreement was signed by Dr. L. P. Singh, Director General of NCB, and Sh. Manoj Rustagi, Director of GCCA, India. This collaboration is expected to bolster efforts to achieve a "Net Zero" Indian Cement Industry by 2070.

A second MoU was signed between NCB and AIC-Plasmatech Innovation Foundation to explore the application of Thermal Plasma Torch Technology in cement production. Dr. L. P. Singh (Director General, NCB) and Dr. Nirav Jamnapara (Director, AIC-Plasmatech) formalised the agreement, marking a step towards innovative approaches in the cement manufacturing process using Thermal Plasma Technologies.