The Forum features a broad programme of architectural dialogue, including eight parallel sessions across its various sub-themes. Its speaker line-up includes Ar. Riken Yamamoto, Prof. Philip F. Yuan, Prof. Brinda Somaya, Prof. Rafiq Azam, Ar. Shirish Beri and Ar. Sanjay Puri, bringing together perspectives from across the Asian architectural community.
The Forum is accompanied by a building materials exhibition featuring more than 100 exhibitors, showcasing new materials, technologies and product innovations to the architectural community. The exhibition creates a direct interface between architectural thinking and the material solutions shaping contemporary buildings.
For Zydex, the theme provides a relevant platform to introduce a mineral science to a contemporary architectural conversation. Mineral silicate paint technology was first developed in 1878 and has been used on façades for more than 140 years. Zydex is bringing this heritage-rooted technology to the Indian market at a time when architects and developers are increasingly evaluating materials not only for appearance, but also for durability, climate responsiveness and long-term building performance.
India's paints and coatings market is valued at USD 12.51 billion in 2026, while the architectural coatings segment is estimated at USD 10.59 billion. At the same time, the country's green building materials market is projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.3 percent to reach USD 32.2 billion by 2032. Together, these trends are creating greater demand for coating systems that can respond to India's varied climate while supporting longer building lifecycles.
Unlike conventional acrylic coatings that form a film over the wall surface, silicate mineral paints chemically bond with compatible mineral substrates. This allows walls to release moisture vapour while resisting fading, peeling and weather-related deterioration. The technology is particularly relevant to structures that use mineral substrates such as brick, plaster and stone, allowing architects to retain the character of traditional materials while introducing contemporary performance standards.
Mr Amrendra Mishra, Chief Operating Officer, Zydex Paints & Waterproofing, said, "The Indian paint industry has traditionally competed around colour, finish and price. We believe there is an equally important conversation to be had around how coatings perform over the life of a building. Silicate mineral chemistry creates a direct mineral bond with the substrate while allowing moisture vapour to escape. For architects and developers, that opens up a different way of evaluating façade performance, maintenance and longevity."
Commenting on the event and ARCASIA, Architect Anu Shree Gupta, Srijan Architects, Kota said: “Forums ARCASIA succeed when material science and design conversation happen in the same room. Zydex's presence here, alongside sessions on vernacular wisdom, felt like the right pairing.”
At ARCASIA 2026, Zydex's participation includes executive engagement led by COO Amrendra Mishra, technical consultations with architects and discussions around climate-responsive and heritage-sensitive building envelopes. The company's exterior coating range is designed for fade resistance, reduced dirt pick-up and long-term colour stability under Indian climatic conditions. Its interior range focuses on low-VOC, breathable finishes for contemporary indoor environments. Through its participation at ARCASIA, Zydex aims to move the architectural coatings conversation beyond decorative finishes and towards the role that coating chemistry can play in extending façade life, improving moisture management and supporting more durable buildings.
