Amid Iran war, India in mission mode to secure fertiliser supplies

New Delhi: India is in talks with major producers and exporters of nitrogen-based and phosphatic fertilisers to secure alternate sourcing destinations as the festering West Asia conflict upends supplies from the region.

Indian embassies in about 20 countries are working on a war footing, holding meetings with local fertiliser companies, to arrange vital supplies, people familiar with the matter told ET.

India has approached Russia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Algeria, and Egypt for supplies of urea and di-ammonium phosphate used in crops such as rice, soybean, and corn, the people said. Talks are also ongoing with Morocco, Jordan, and Belarus to increase fertiliser imports.


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West Asia including countries such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, and the UAE cater to nearly 30% of India's urea needs, 30% of di-ammonium phosphate requirement, and half of its LNG needs, used in fertiliser production. Disruption in supplies from the region comes ahead of the crucial kharif or monsoon crop planting season.

During his visit to New Delhi on Thursday, Russian deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov informed PM Narendra Modi that Moscow had ramped up supplies of mineral fertilisers to India by 40% as of December 2025. He assured Modi that Russia is ready to continue meeting India's growing fertiliser needs. The two sides also discussed progress in setting up an India-Russia fertiliser manufacturing joint venture.

Indian fertiliser companies RCF, NFL, and IPL signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Russia's Uralchem group last December to build a JV urea plant in Russia. The proposed $1.2 billion project aims to produce 2 million tonnes of urea annually by 2027-28, providing a major boost to India's supply security while helping reduce import costs.

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India's quest for uninterrupted fertiliser supplies could also be met by phosphate-rich Morocco. OCP, a more than 100-year-old company in Morocco, is exploring opportunities to expand its presence in India. OCP supplies a fifth of India's rock phosphate imports, a third of its phosphoric acid imports, besides having a significant share of DAP imports, and 100% of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) requirements.

OCP owns a 28% stake in India's leading fertiliser company Paradeep Phosphates, while Indo Maroc Phosphore SA (IMACID), its joint venture with Chambal Fertilisers and Chemicals, and Tata Chemicals, helps secure essential raw materials for fertiliser production in India.

In North Africa, India is also actively strengthening fertiliser ties with Egypt, importing major quantities of mineral, nitrogenous, and potassic fertilisers to meet agricultural demand, with 2024 imports exceeding $29 million. This cooperation includes long-term agreements and potential Indian investment in greenfield fertiliser plants in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, with notable investments exceeding $4.5 billion.