Tyre manufacturing companies have committed Rs 100 crore to enhance the natural rubber sector in Northeast India and parts of West Bengal, according to the Automotive Tyre Manufacturers Association (ATMA). This initiative is part of Project Indian Natural Rubber Operations (INROAD).

The project aims to improve both the production and quality of natural rubber, ensuring higher incomes for growers. The initiative is financially supported by ATMA members, including Apollo, CEAT, JK, and MRF, and is implemented in partnership with the Rubber Board of India. Over the past four years, the project has facilitated the establishment of rubber plantations across 1,25,272 hectares in 94 districts of the Northeast and West Bengal, marking one of the largest rubber plantation efforts in India within this timeframe.

Project INROAD also focuses on skill development and infrastructure creation. Training is provided digitally, while infrastructure such as model smokehouses and processing and grading centres is being developed to improve rubber processing quality. On 06 January, 2025, ATMA Chairman and Managing Director of CEAT, Arnab Banerjee inaugurated the first model smokehouse for a women’s cooperative in Assam’s Goalpara district.

This initiative signifies a critical step in empowering local communities and promoting sustainable development in India's rubber industry. By leveraging advanced techniques and supporting small-scale growers, the tyre industry aims to meet increasing demand while ensuring fair economic benefits for all stakeholders involved.