Birla Opus Accuses Asian Paints of Arm-Twisting Dealers, Files Complaint With CCI

Birla Opus, the paints venture of the Aditya Birla Group under Grasim Industries, has reportedly filed an antitrust complaint against market leader Asian Paints, alleging abuse of market dominance. The company, which launched in February 2024, claims Asian Paints has been coercing paint retailers to avoid stocking Birla Opus products.

According to a report by Reuters, the confidential complaint submitted by Birla Opus to the Competition Commission of India (CCI) has been under review in recent weeks. The complaint alleges that Asian Paints instructed its retail dealers not to stock Birla Opus products and threatened to restrict their credit facilities if they did.

The company is also accused of warning dealers that it would reduce supplies if they displayed Birla Opus hoardings or gave its products prominent shelf space.

The CCI has yet to decide whether the complaint warrants a detailed investigation by its enforcement unit or should be dismissed, the report added.

It also noted that Asian Paints has not yet been formally notified of the case. However, the company has responded to media queries and submitted a confidential letter to the CCI, stressing the importance of being allowed to present its perspective before any decision is made.

“The rapid and substantial growth of Birla Opus demonstrates the absence of any significant barriers to entry or anti-competitive conduct by existing players,” Asian Paints reportedly stated in its letter to the CCI.

Asian Paints, which holds a 52% share in India’s decorative paints market, has seen some erosion in its dominance following the entry of Birla Opus. Within just over a year of launch, Birla Opus has captured nearly 7% market share by March 2025, according to Elara Capital data.

Fueled by a $1.2 billion investment, Birla Opus has expanded rapidly in India’s $9.5 billion paints industry, with five manufacturing plants now operational. In comparison, Asian Paints reported revenue of approximately $3.43 billion in FY25 and operates 26 factories globally.

This is not the first time Asian Paints has faced competition-related scrutiny. In 2022, the CCI dismissed a similar complaint by JSW Paints, concluding there was no violation of competition law.