Hindustan Insecticides Limited (HIL) is an Indian public sector chemical company engaged in the manufacture and marketing of agrochemicals, including insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and weedicides. It functions under the administrative control of the Government of India through the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers.
| Type | Public sector undertaking |
|---|---|
| Industry | Agrochemicals and chemicals |
| Country | India |
| Owner | Government of India |
| Administrative ministry | Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Department of Chemicals and Petrochemicals |
| Products | Insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, weedicides and intermediates |
HIL was established to support India's national programmes in public health and agriculture by domestically producing pesticides that were otherwise dependent on imports. A central impetus for setting up the company was the demand for DDT, which was used extensively in the National Malaria Eradication Programme. Over time, the company diversified into a wider portfolio of agrochemicals catering to the needs of Indian agriculture.
The company operates manufacturing facilities producing technical-grade pesticides and their formulations. Its product range includes both technical-grade chemicals supplied to formulators and finished formulations sold to farmers and government agencies. HIL also supplies pesticides to central and state government health departments for vector-control programmes.
As one of the few Government of India undertakings in the agrochemical sector, HIL has played a role in two distinct policy areas: supporting the country's vector-borne disease control efforts, particularly against malaria, and contributing to agricultural productivity by ensuring availability of crop-protection chemicals. The company has also undertaken supplies for international public-health agencies under tenders for DDT and similar products.