The cement industry in India has grown significantly over the past century. It began in the late 1800s with small, disorganized production facilities. The first licensed cement plant was established in 1914. Government policies from the 1950s-1980s aimed to promote self-sufficiency and control prices and distribution. Since the 1990s, the industry has been deregulated and attracted major foreign and domestic investments. It is now one of the largest cement industries globally, driven by growth in infrastructure, housing, and construction. Several large companies have recently announced billions of dollars in new investments to expand capacity.