Cement maker Ambuja Cements Ltd reported higher profits in the July-September quarter, coming off a low base and helped by higher sales, but missed market estimates.

Ambuja, controlled by Switzerland's Holcim Ltd, the world's second-largest cement producer, reported a 78 percent increase in net profit to Rs 3.04 billion for the July-September quarter from Rs 1.71 billion in the same period a year ago.

Net sales at India's third-largest cement maker were up 20 percent at 21.68 billion rupees over the same period.

Analysts expected profits of Rs 3.34 billion on revenue of Rs 21.94 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S Estimates.