India HeidelbergCement Faces Rs 32.77 Crore GST Demand Over ITC Claims
HeidelbergCement India, one of the country’s leading cement producers, is facing regulatory scrutiny following two GST orders totaling ₹32.77 crore for alleged excess input tax credit (ITC) claims and non-payment of GST. The first order pertains to FY 2021–22 and demands ₹14.95 crore, while the second covers FY 2018–19 with a demand of ₹17.83 crore. The company has stated that these notices are unlikely to materially impact its financial position and is exploring legal options to contest them.
The orders underscore the increasing oversight by tax authorities over high-volume sectors like cement, where ITC forms a significant component of working capital management. Analysts note that regulatory focus on compliance is intensifying, as authorities seek to ensure accurate reporting and claim validation across large-scale industrial operations.Despite the GST scrutiny, HeidelbergCement India has demonstrated strong operational performance. In Q2 FY26, the company reported a 10.9% revenue increase to ₹5,100 crore, with net profit surging 122.6% year-on-year to ₹249 crore. Sales volumes rose by 9.2% to 1.075 million tonnes, while EBITDA increased 53.6% to ₹575 crore and margins improved by 312 basis points to 11.2%. The company has also made progress on sustainability initiatives, sourcing over half of its energy from captive generation and power purchase agreements.
Industry experts observe that while tax disputes may create short-term uncertainty, they rarely affect long-term business fundamentals, especially for companies with strong cash flows and operational resilience. An analyst noted that HeidelbergCement India’s robust growth trajectory, cost management, and sustainability measures mitigate potential risks associated with regulatory notices.The cement sector in India remains critical for infrastructure development, with robust demand from housing, roads, and urban projects. Compliance with GST and other indirect tax regulations continues to be a focus for companies operating at scale. Legal contestation of such orders is common in the sector, reflecting the complexity of ITC claims and evolving regulatory interpretation.
As scrutiny intensifies, firms like HeidelbergCement India are expected to strengthen internal audits and compliance protocols to maintain operational continuity while managing tax risks. The company’s ability to sustain production, sales, and sustainability progress amid regulatory oversight highlights the resilience of India’s cement industry and its capacity to support urban development and infrastructure growth
