India is a vast country with a total geographical area of 3,287,263 sq. km, and population of 1.40 billion people. It comprises of 28 states and 8 union territories. The country is located north of the equator and largely lies in the tropical belt and as such it is suitable for cultivation of a tropical crop like sugarcane. Sugarcane is grown abundantly in 19 states and two union territories.

India is considered origin of sugarcane. Sugarcane was an ancient delicacy and people originally chewed it raw to extract its sweetness, until the Indians discovered methods of turning juice into granulated crystals during the reign of the Guptas around 5th Century.

Apart from mythological references, sugarcane and its products have been known in India for ages. The earliest record is found in a sacred book of the Hindus, the Atharva Veda which was composed during a period estimated by historians between 5000 to 1000 B.C. The first mention of sugar is found in the treatise called "Preeti Mokhsha" a code of conduct for Buddhists, which is believed to have originated around 6th century B.C. Sugar known as "SHARKARA" forms an important part of the 5 nectars (other being honey, milk, curd, and ghee) that are commonly used in Hindu rituals. During the medieval period, India had a thriving trade in sugar.

Despite the early years of discovery and knowledge, India lost her way in between and till 1930 had only 29 sugar mills [besides hundreds of jaggery plus khandsari (MUSCOVADO) units] with an average sugarcane crushing capacity of 300 TCD producing 100,000 tonnes of sugar per annum and had to meet its needs largely through imports.

India moved away from its 300 TCD capacity mills to 600 TCD mills first and then gradually to 1000 TCD in 1960s before hitting the 2000 TCD mark in 1970 and 2500 TCD by the end of 1980s. The Indian engineers, technologists and scientists have now further developed and pushed the plant capacities upto 25000 TCD.

During the last two decades, various innovations and design developments by the Indian scientists, technologists and technology providers helped the country to supply indigenously designed and manufactured energy efficient plants of capacities ranging from 5000 to 25000 TCD, high-pressure cogeneration power plants, zero-water consumption in sugar plants, energy-efficient ethanol plants, compressed biogas plants with sugar plant waste firstly within India and later to several countries around the globe.

Emerging business opportunities like production of fuel ethanol and chemicals and structural reforms worldwide is providing new horizons for the sector. The Indian Sugar Sector has transformational opportunities that would enable it not only to continue service the domestic markets but also emerge as a significant carbon credit and power producer and support a highly ambitious ethanol bending programme of Government of India of E20 and beyond. The government has officially approved E100 by 2024-25 and has also asked the automobile manufacturers to gear up to produce flexi fuel vehicles.