Strait of Hormuz disruptions linked to the Iran war have choked off fertilizer shipments from the Middle East and pushed prices sharply higher, prompting a wave of emergency support and trade measures as governments try to shield farmers ahead of key planting seasons.
India's cabinet approved a proposal to spend $4.49 billion to subsidise phosphate and potassium fertilizers for the Kharif 2026 season, according to an 8 April government statement. The allocation represents an increase of approximately $460 million over the Kharif 2025 season budget, reflecting adjustments for recent trends in international prices of fertilizers and inputs including urea, DAP, MOP, and sulphur.
India is said to be considering a proposal to restrict sulphur exports after industry lobby groups raised concerns about soaring prices and disruption to supplies from the Gulf, according to local news reports. Export restrictions could add to upward pressure on global sulphur prices, as supplies from the Middle East are disrupted by the Iran war and with China also set to restrict sulphuric acid exports from next month. India exported 800,000 tonnes of sulphur in 2025.
Indian renewable energy developer InSolare Energy, in consortium with SCC Infrastructure, says that it has signed Green Ammonia Purchase Agreements (GAPA) with the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) for the supply of 85,000 t/a of green ammonia under India’s National Green Hydrogen Mission 13 April. The agreements, executed through two separate special purpose vehicles, involve a total estimated investment of around $400 million, InSolare said in a statement.
India’s urea industry was running at approximately half capacity after force majeure declarations disrupted LNG flows through the Strait of Hormuz amid escalating Middle East tensions, according to local press reports. Petronet LNG Ltd, which operates India’s largest liquefied natural gas receiving terminal, declared force majeure after upstream suppliers cited their inability to deliver contracted volumes amid disruptions to cargoes transiting the Strait. The move triggered supply curtailments by state-owned gas distributors GAIL (India) Ltd, Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOC) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd (BPCL), which supply gas under RasGas contracts to fertiliser units across the country.
The Government of Assam has approved a fiscal incentive package for the development of an industrial scale biomethanol facility at an estimated cost of $1.2 billion. Project developer Novel Biofuels is working in partnership with infrastructure company ACTUAL on the project, which will produce 1.4 million litres/day (1,100 t/d) of high-purity biomethanol from sustainably harvested bamboo sourced from Assam’s smallholder farming communities. It is expected to be commissioned by 2030, with site development and supply chain buildout commencing in 2026.
Jindal Steel says that it has achieved a global first by establishing India’s first coal gasification-based direct reduced iron (DRI) plant, using syngas for iron making. In response to shortages of natural gas, LPG and propane, Jindal Steel has also looked to deploy syngas in galvanising and colour coating line furnaces, as well as injecting syngas into its blast furnace, reducing dependence on imported coking coal and lowering carbon emissions per tonne of steel.
Deendayal Port Authority says it has completed India’s first methanol bunkering demonstration at Kandla port, furthering its port bunkering capabilities and alternative fuels provision aims. The authority says that the shore-to-ship methanol transfer marks a milestone for port infrastructure development aligned with maritime decarbonisation goals. Conducted on 2 April, the trial brought together multiple industry partners to validate operational readiness and safety procedures for handling alternative fuels within a working port environment.
We speak with Ilya Motorygin, Managing Partner and Co-founder of GG Trading DMCC.
ICL Group has opened a new specialty fertiliser production facility in Maharashtra, India, as geopolitical disruption to...