New Delhi, April 10 -- At a time when Indian aluminium prices are expected to remain higher for longer due to the West Asia war-impacting industries from automobiles and beverage cans to construction and even space tech components-a key industrial chemical is fuelling manufacturing costs, with effects set to ripple across the broader economy

Rising energy costs due to the war disruptions have pushed up caustic soda prices by as much as 20% in India. Used widely across industries-from refining alumina and making paper, textiles, soaps and detergents to treating water, the chemical is now raising the cost of manufacturing aluminium for smelters run by Hindalco Industries and Vedanta Aluminium, as it is crucial in extracting alumina from ba...