India Passive Fire Protection Market Size, Share and Trends Analysis Report – Industry Overview and Forecast to 2033

India Passive Fire Protection Market Size

• The India Passive Fire Protection market size was valued at USD 140.89 Million in 2025 and is expected to reach USD 266.00 Million by 2033, at a CAGR of 8.4% during the forecast period.
• Passive fire protection (PFP) are components of a building or structure that slows or impedes the fire or smoke without system activation, and usually without movement. The instances of passive systems include floor-ceilings and roofs, fire doors, windows, and wall assemblies, fire-resistant coatings, and other fire and smoke control assemblies. Passive fire protection systems can include active components such as fire dampers.

India Passive Fire Protection Market Analysis

• PFP systems are designed to "prevent" the spread of fire and smoke, or heating of structural members, for an intended limited period as determined by the local building code and fire codes. Passive fire protection measures such as firestops, fire walls, and fire doors, are tested to determine the fire-resistance rating of the final assembly, which is usually expressed in terms of hours of fire resistance (e.g., ⅓, ¾, 1, 1½, 2, 3, 4 hour).
• India's passive protection landscape, particularly in defense and vehicle armor sectors, shows robust growth driven by escalating security needs. Key trends include the rapid expansion of passive protection systems within the broader active and passive protection market.
• The market in India is projected to grow with the CAGR of 8.4% due to rapid urbanization, stringent government regulations, and surging infrastructure development. Initiatives like Smart Cities Mission and rising high-rise constructions in metros such as Mumbai and Delhi mandate advanced fire detection, suppression, and alarm systems for compliance with NBC 2016 standards. Escalating fire incidents in industrial hubs, driven by manufacturing expansion under Make in India and chemical sector growth, heighten demand for automated sprinklers and clean-agent systems.

Report Scope and India Passive Fire Protection Market Segmentation

India Passive Fire Protection Market Trends

“Rapid Expansion Of Passive Protection Systems Within The Broader Active And Passive Protection Market”

• Stringent fire safety codes and national standards mandate PFP integration in residential, commercial, and industrial buildings, boosting demand for compliant materials amid rising infrastructure projects.
• Shift toward advanced materials like intumescent coatings and cementitious sprays, which offer superior fire resistance and lightweight designs, alongside smart sensors for real-time monitoring.
• Rapid commercial and residential construction, including government initiatives like Central Vista, accelerates the adoption of fireproof cladding and barriers to mitigate risks in high-density areas.
• Emphasis on eco-friendly, durable PFP solutions aligns with green building practices, enhancing market appeal in a sector prioritizing long-term resilience.

India Passive Fire Protection Market Dynamics

Driver

“Strengthening Regulatory Mandates for Fire Safety and Passive Fire Protection Compliance”

• The India passive fire protection market is fundamentally driven by the strengthening and institutionalisation of fire safety regulations at the national, state, and municipal levels. At the core of this regulatory framework lies the National Building Code (NBC) of India 2016, Part IV – Fire & Life Safety, which prescribes minimum fire-resistance ratings, compartmentation norms, structural fire protection requirements, and separation standards for buildings across occupancies.
• While originally positioned as a model code, NBC provisions are increasingly being embedded into state fire acts, municipal building bye-laws, and approval processes for construction permits and occupancy certificates.
• This shift has transformed passive fire protection from a “best practice” into a de facto compliance requirement, particularly for multi-storey, commercial, institutional, and assembly buildings.
• As regulatory scrutiny tightens and approval authorities rely more heavily on NBC benchmarks, developers and asset owners are compelled to specify certified passive fire protection systems, including intumescent coatings, fire-rated walls, shafts, and firestop solutions at both design and execution stages, directly supporting sustained market demand.

Restraint

“High Upfront Cost and Life-Cycle Budgeting Pressures”

• Despite growing regulatory emphasis, the adoption of passive fire protection (PFP) systems in India continues to face resistance due to high upfront costs and competing capital expenditure priorities.
• Intumescent coatings, certified fire-rated boards, and tested firestop assemblies often represent a non-revenue-generating cost line, particularly from the perspective of private developers and facility owners.
• In cost-sensitive projects, especially speculative commercial real estate and mid-income residential developments, PFP is frequently viewed as an area where specifications can be minimized without immediate functional impact.
• Additionally, life-cycle benefits of passive fire protection, such as structural integrity retention and reduced post-fire losses, are not always factored into budgeting decisions, which tend to prioritise short-term construction costs over long-term risk mitigation. This cost perception creates friction between regulatory intent and on-ground implementation, slowing conversion rates and leading to partial or lower-grade PFP adoption.

India Passive Fire Protection Market Scope

The India Passive Fire Protection market is segmented into six notable segments based on the product type, technology, application, formulation, end user, distribution channel, and price range.

• By Product Type

On the basis of product type, the India passive fire protection market is segmented into cementitious material and intumescent coating. In 2026, intumescent coating is expected to dominate the market with 59.64% market share due to their superior fire resistance, rapidly expanding into a thick insulating char layer upon heat exposure that protects steel structures for up to four hours, outperforming heavier cementitious materials in high-risk hydrocarbon fire scenarios prevalent in oil & gas and petrochemical sectors.

The intumescent coating segment is estimated to grow with the highest CAGR of 9.1% due to rapid urbanization and infrastructure development in India, including Smart Cities and high-rise projects that demand lightweight, aesthetically pleasing fire protection for steel structures over traditional cementitious materials.

• By Technology

On the basis of technology, the India passive fire protection market is segmented into water-based protection coating and solvent-based protection coating. In 2026, water-based protection coating is expected to dominate the market with 61.24% market share owing to their eco-friendly profile, featuring low or zero volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions that align with stringent environmental regulations and green building certifications.

The water-based protection coating segment is estimated to grow with the highest CAGR of 9.0% due to increasing regulatory emphasis on environmental sustainability and low-VOC emissions, aligning with India's green building norms like IGBC and GRIHA that prioritize eco-friendly materials in booming infrastructure projects such as Smart Cities and high-rise developments.

• By Application

On the basis of application, the India passive fire protection market is segmented Steel Protection, Concrete Protection, Wood Substrates, HVAC/Ducts, Electric Cables, Storage Tanks & Vessels, Pipelines. In 2026 Structural Steel Protection is expected to dominate the market with 49.51% market share due to the explosive growth in high-rise commercial buildings, metro rail networks, and industrial warehouses.

HVAC/Ducts segment is estimated to grow with the highest CAGR of 8.9% in the forecast period due to due to surging demand from rapid urbanization and infrastructure projects like Smart Cities Mission, PM GatiShakti, and commercial high-rises, where ducts form critical pathways for fire/smoke spread requiring mandatory fire-rated coatings and encasements per NBC 2016 Part 4 standards.

• By Formulation

On the basis of formulation, the India passive fire protection market is segmented into Epoxy, Acrylic, Cementitious, Alkyd and Polyurethane/Hybrid. In 2026 Epoxy is expected to dominate the market with 39.46% market share due to  their exceptional durability and chemical resistance, making them ideal for hydrocarbon fire exposure in oil & gas refineries, petrochemical plants, and offshore platforms.

Epoxy segment is estimated to grow with the highest CAGR of 9.4% in the forecast period due to  its superior hydrocarbon fire resistance, forming a dense cellular char that withstands extreme temperatures (1,100°C+) for 3-4 hours, essential for India's expanding oil & gas infrastructure like new refineries and LNG projects under the National Infrastructure Pipeline.

• By End User

On the basis of end user, the India passive fire protection market is segmented into Building & Construction, Oil and Gas, Automotive, Aerospace and Defense, Electrical and Electronics, Textile, Furniture, Infrastructure, Marine, Others. In 2026, building and construction is expected to dominate the market with 42.32% market share due to explosive urbanization and infrastructure spending under initiatives like Smart Cities Mission, PM GatiShakti, and National Infrastructure Pipeline.

Building and construction segment is estimated to grow with the highest CAGR of 8.6% in the forecast period due to surging demand for passive fire protection in high-rise towers, metro expansions, airports, and commercial hubs where steel frameworks need 2-4 hour fire resistance per NBC 2016 standards.

• By Distribution Channel

On the basis of distribution channels, the India passive fire protection market is segmented into Indirect and Direct. In 2026 Indirect is expected to dominate the market with 60.50% market share owing to its extensive network of regional distributors, dealers, and specialized contractors who provide localized inventory, technical support, and customized solutions for diverse projects across tier-1/2/3 cities.

Indirect segment is estimated to grow with the highest CAGR of 8.6% in the forecast period due to due to its expansive network of regional distributors, sub-dealers, and specialty contractors that ensure rapid availability of passive fire protection materials across India's tier-2/3 cities and remote industrial zones.

• By Price Range

On the basis of Price Range, the India Passive Fire Protection Market is segmented into Mass, Mid Range, Premium. In 2026, mid-range is expected to dominate the market with 50.39% market share owing to  its optimal balance of cost-effectiveness and performance, appealing to mid-tier builders, SMEs, and regional developers.

Mid-range segment is estimated to grow with the highest CAGR of 9.4% in the forecast period due to its compelling value proposition, delivering 2-3 hour fire resistance via epoxy/acrylic intumescent coatings and cementitious materials.

The Major Market Leaders Operating in the Market Are:

The India Passive Fire Protection market is primarily led by well-established companies, including:

• Kansai Nerolac Paints Limited (India)
• Akzo Nobel (Netherlands)
• NAVAIR International Pvt Limited (India)
• Jotun (Norway)
• PPG Industries (U.S.)
• Hempel (Denmark)
• Carboline (U.S.)
• SafeCoat Fire Solutions (India)
• The Sherwin-Williams Company (U.S.)
• Etex Group (Belgium)
• Feukem India Pvt. Ltd (India)
• Isolatek International (Newkem) (U.S.)
• Ugam Chemicals (India)
• Tremco CPG India (Nullifire) (U.S.)
• CharCoat (India)

Latest Developments in India Passive Fire Protection Market

• In December 2024, Sherwin-Williams strengthens oversight of political engagement. It actively engages in public policy to support the Company’s interests, with all lobbying and political activities overseen by senior management and the Board of Directors. Government Affairs and, where required, the Chief Legal Officer must approve any contributions or lobbying efforts, while employees are prohibited from linking personal political activities to the Company. Sherwin-Williams currently does not operate a Political Action Committee (PAC). Thus, this will ensure compliance, transparency, and ethical advocacy in alignment with corporate governance standards.
• In December 2024, Nullifire launched "A Guide to Specification and Design for Firestopping" to simplify passive fire protection processes amid evolving building regulations. This helps architects and contractors apply passive fire protection correctly, reducing errors and safety risks. This strengthens the company’s reputation, boosts customer confidence, and promotes wider adoption of its certified fire‑stopping products.
• In December 2025, Ugam Chemicals announced that they had been honored with the “𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑪𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒊𝒏 𝑷𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒔 & 𝑺𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒚 𝑪𝒐𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔” 𝒂𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅 at the 11th CIA World Construction and Infra Awards, hosted by Epic Media at the prestigious Nehru Centre, Mumbai. The award enhances credibility with customers and partners, supporting market expansion and customer confidence in Ugam’s performance and sustainability claims.
• In August 2025, Hempel formally entered a strategic partnership with CVC, which brings complementary competencies and resources to support the acceleration of Hempel’s growth and value creation plan. The partnership strengthens Hempel’s growth trajectory by pairing its existing strengths with CVC’s experience in scaling businesses and executing transformational acquisitions, enabling faster expansion into new segments and geographies while expanding capabilities in sustainable technologies.
• In December 2023, Feukem India exhibited its Passive Fire Protection Systems, including solutions for fire-rated ductworks, steel structures, and fire stop products, at the Steel Construction Expo 2023. This has helped to create awareness amongst customers.

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