From habit to choice: How India’s paint industry is quietly reinventing itself

For a long time, painting a house in India followed a predictable routine. It was a task most families postponed for years, knowing it would bring dust, disruption, and endless coordination with painters. When the decision could no longer be delayed, the brand choice was almost automatic. One dominant name entered Indian homes with very little debate. Painting was less a decision and more a habit.

That habit is now being challenged.

A few weeks ago, while preparing to repaint my own house, I noticed a new paint brand being discussed—Birla Opus. What seemed like a minor observation actually reflects a much larger change unfolding in the Indian paint industry. A category that once felt monopolistic is steadily becoming competitive, consumer-driven, and far more dynamic than before.

When Painting Was a Low-Involvement Decision

Historically, the paint category was built on trust and familiarity. Painters played a central role in decision-making, and homeowners rarely questioned their recommendations. The logic was simple: painting is expensive, mistakes are visible for years, and experimentation felt risky. Sticking to a tried-and-tested brand offered peace of mind.

Because of this, innovation existed but rarely disrupted behaviour. Advertising reinforced leadership, distribution ensured availability, and loyalty flowed through painters and dealers rather than end consumers.

What Has Changed in the Indian Home

The biggest shift has come from how Indians view their homes today.

Homes are no longer treated purely as functional spaces. They are personal, aspirational, and deeply emotional. With rising incomes, smaller families, and urban living, people are investing more thought and money into how their homes look and feel. Walls have become canvases, not just surfaces.

Texture finishes, washable paints, accent walls, and carefully curated colour themes have moved into the mainstream. Painting is no longer done just to freshen up walls—it is done to transform spaces.

At the same time, the demand cycle remains culturally strong. Most Indian homes are painted during summer vacations after exams, before Diwali, or ahead of weddings and major family events. These life moments ensure the category stays relevant and emotionally charged.

Is the Market Big Enough for New Players?

Despite strong incumbents, the answer is clearly yes.

India’s per capita paint consumption remains relatively low compared to global benchmarks, even as housing stock continues to grow. More importantly, consumers are upgrading. They are moving from basic distempers to emulsions, from economy products to premium finishes, and from do-it-yourself decision-making to professionally managed services.

This combination of volume growth and premiumisation means the market itself is expanding. New entrants are not just fighting for share; they are tapping into a category that is becoming larger, richer, and more sophisticated.

How Legacy Brands Are Responding

The arrival of new competitors has made legacy paint companies more alert, not weaker.

Established brands are reinforcing their strengths—distribution reach, dealer loyalty, and painter relationships—while simultaneously modernising their offerings. Technology-driven colour visualisation tools, faster service execution, and bundled painting solutions are now central to their strategy.

Most importantly, they are building emotional reassurance. Trust, consistency, and service guarantees are being positioned as reasons to stay loyal, not just product quality.

Distribution: The Real Battlefield

In the paint business, distribution remains the toughest barrier to entry.

Legacy players have spent decades building dense dealer networks and winning the confidence of painters. New entrants, therefore, are adopting focused strategies rather than attempting instant scale. They are prioritising urban markets, offering attractive margins to dealers, investing heavily in logistics, and ensuring supply reliability.

Instead of being everywhere, the goal is to be credible where it matters most.

The Loyalty Challenge—and the Slow Shift

Paint loyalty runs deep. Painters trust brands that perform consistently, homeowners repeat what worked before, and dealers prefer products that sell quickly.

But loyalty today is being tested through experience rather than persuasion. A single successful project—cleaner application, better finish, or smoother service—can open the door to reconsideration. New brands are not trying to replace old habits overnight; they are earning trust one room at a time.

The Rise of the Informed Customer

Perhaps the most significant change is the growing influence of the homeowner.

Earlier, painters and contractors held most of the power. Today, customers arrive with research. They compare finishes, study durability claims, watch videos, read reviews, and explore design inspiration online. Social media and home décor platforms have made information accessible and visual.

Painters still play an important role, but they are increasingly guided by the homeowner’s preferences rather than dictating them.

From Low Involvement to High Engagement

Painting has crossed an important threshold. It is no longer a low-involvement category.

The cost is high, the disruption is real, and the results are long-lasting. Consumers now engage deeply before committing—asking questions about safety, longevity, maintenance, and aesthetics. They want outcomes they will be proud of for years, not just walls that look freshly painted. 

The Bigger Shift

The Indian paint industry is no longer just about coating walls. It is about aspiration, reassurance, and experience.

What was once driven by habit is now shaped by choice. And as competition increases, the real winner may be the Indian homeowner—because for the first time, painting a house feels less like an unavoidable task and more like a meaningful decision.