India makes the aluminium. So why is it unable to make enough Diet Coke cans?

India's Diet Coke shortage in 2026 exposed an unexpected weakness in the country's aluminium industry. Despite being the world's second-largest primary aluminium producer, India struggled to ensure adequate supplies of aluminium cans when disruptions to Middle Eastern shipping affected imports of specialised can-sheet material. The episode highlighted a structural gap in the domestic aluminium value chain: producing the metal is one thing, but converting it into higher-value finished products is another. The shortage emerged during the summer drinking season, when Diet Coke became increasingly difficult to find on Indian shelves. Quick-commerce platforms reported limited availability as shipping disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict affected aluminium supplies through the Strait...