New Delhi: Asian Paints Limited is doubling down on a regionalisation push as competition in India’s decorative paints market intensifies, said Managing Director and CEO Amit Syngle at a recent analyst interaction.
The company is tailoring product offerings to local tastes by promoting region-specific colour palettes and launching waterproofing solutions in smaller packs across eight to nine states. The strategy, still in early stages, is aimed at shoring up brand relevance and resisting share erosion from emerging rivals such as Birla Opus and JSW Paints Limited.
Syngle said the company views regionalisation not as a short-term experiment but as a long-term customer-centric approach that could enhance brand equity in varied markets. He added that the initiative will be extended to more states in the coming months as part of efforts to defend decorative paints leadership.
Asian Paints continues to be India’s largest decorative paints player with an estimated distribution reach covering over 8,500 towns through about 145–150 depots. In contrast, Birla Opus has expanded its footprint to around 8,000 towns with 137 depots, and JSW Paints is leveraging recent acquisitions to widen distribution and channel support.
To maintain its edge, the company said it will also increase marketing intensity behind core products and premium offerings, while pushing its presence in home décor and B2B paint categories. Input costs such as titanium dioxide remain relatively benign, enabling Asian Paints to prioritise topline growth over margin expansion if needed.
For the third quarter of FY26, the company delivered operating margins of around 20%, slightly higher than the previous year, but some recent metrics — including moderate revenue growth — have kept analysts focused on execution risk as rivals ramp up spend to gain share.