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By:

Akhilesh Sinha

25 June 2025 at 2:53:54 pm

Nadda's strategic meet signals urgency for chemical sector

New Delhi: As war simmers across the volatile landscape of West Asia, whether in the form of a direct confrontation between Israel, United States and Iran, or through Iran's hybrid warfare involving groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis, the tremors are no longer confined to the region's borders. They are coursing through the arteries of the global economy. India's chemicals and petrochemicals sector, heavily dependent on this region for critical raw materials, finds itself among the earliest...

Nadda's strategic meet signals urgency for chemical sector

New Delhi: As war simmers across the volatile landscape of West Asia, whether in the form of a direct confrontation between Israel, United States and Iran, or through Iran's hybrid warfare involving groups like Hezbollah and the Houthis, the tremors are no longer confined to the region's borders. They are coursing through the arteries of the global economy. India's chemicals and petrochemicals sector, heavily dependent on this region for critical raw materials, finds itself among the earliest and hardest hit by this geopolitical turbulence. It is in this backdrop that the recent meeting convened by Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers J. P. Nadda at Kartavya Bhavan must be seen not as a routine consultation, but as a signal of strategic urgency. India's ambition to scale this sector from its current valuation of $220 billion to $1 trillion by 2040, and further to $1.5 trillion by 2047, will remain aspirational unless the country confronts its structural vulnerabilities with clarity and resolve. India today ranks as the world's sixth-largest producer of chemicals and the third-largest in Asia. The sector contributes 6-7 percent to GDP and underpins a wide spectrum of industries, from agriculture and pharmaceuticals to automobiles, construction, and electronics. It would be no exaggeration to call it the backbone of modern industrial India. Yet, embedded within this strength is a paradox. India's share in the global chemical value chain (GVC) stands at a modest 3.5 percent. A trade deficit of $31 billion in 2023 underscores a deeper issue: while India produces at scale, it remains marginal in high-value segments. This imbalance becomes starkly visible when disruptions in West Asia choke the supply of key feedstocks, shaking the very foundations of domestic industry. Supply Disruption The current crisis has laid this fragility bare. Disruptions in the supply of LNG, LPG, and sulfur have led to production cuts of 30-50 percent in several segments. With nearly 65 percent of sulfur imports sourced from the Middle East, the ripple effects have extended beyond chemicals to fertilisers, plastics, textiles, and other downstream industries. Strategic chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz have witnessed disruptions, pushing shipping costs up by 20-30 percent and adding further strain to cost structures. This is precisely where Nadda's emphasis on supply chain diversification and resilience appears prescient. In today's world, self-reliance cannot mean isolation; it must translate into strategic flexibility. While India imports crude oil from as many as 41 countries, several critical inputs for the chemical industry remain concentrated in a handful of sources, arguably the sector's most significant vulnerability. Opportunity Ahead A recent report by NITI Aayog outlines a pathway to convert this vulnerability into opportunity. It envisions raising India's GVC share to 5-6 percent by 2030 and to 12 percent by 2040. If achieved, the sector could not only reach the $1 trillion mark but also generate over 700,000 jobs. However, this transformation will demand more than policy intent, it will require sustained investment and disciplined execution. The most pressing challenge lies in research and innovation. India currently spends just 0.7 percent of industry revenue on R&D, compared to a global average of 2.3 percent. This gap explains why the country remains largely confined to basic chemicals, even as the world moves toward specialty and high-value products. Bridging this divide is essential if India is to climb the value chain. Equally constraining is the fragmented nature of the industry. Dominated by MSMEs with limited access to capital and technology, the sector struggles to compete globally. Cluster-based development models offer a pragmatic way forward, such as PCPIRs and the proposed chemical parks.

India bans 16 Pakistani YouTube channels over misinformation after Pahalgam terror attack



NEW DELHI: Following the terror attack in Pahalgam, the Indian government on Monday banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including several major news outlets such as Dawn, Samaa TV, ARY News, Geo News, Razi Naama, GNN, and Irshad Bhatti’s channel, officials said.


According to officials, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting acted on a recommendation from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) after it was found that these channels were "spreading communally sensitive content and misinformation against India."


A senior official stated, "On the MHA’s recommendation, the Government of India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including Dawn News, Samaa TV, ARY News, and Geo News, for promoting provocative, communally sensitive content, and false narratives against India, its Army, and its security agencies, especially after the tragic Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir."


The combined subscriber base of these 16 banned channels is around 63.08 million, according to a list shared by officials. The banned channels include both news agencies and individual creators: Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, Samaa TV, ARY News, BOL News, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, Suno News HD, and Razi Naama.


Officials added that these channels are now inaccessible in India, and warned that any other platforms spreading misinformation against India and its security forces will also face similar action.


Additionally, the government has taken up the matter with the BBC over its coverage of the Pahalgam attack. A senior official said, "The XP division of the Ministry of External Affairs has conveyed strong concerns to Jackie Martin (BBC India Head) regarding their portrayal of the terrorists as militants. A formal letter has been sent to BBC criticizing this terminology, and the XP division will continue monitoring future reporting."


This move comes after the U.S. government also criticized The New York Times for using the term "militants" instead of "terrorists" in its coverage, with the U.S. Senate panel and House Foreign Affairs Committee stating that such language downplays the seriousness of the attack.


Meanwhile, tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated further. India has suspended the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), cancelled visas issued to Pakistani nationals, and intensified retaliatory action following continuous ceasefire violations by Pakistani troops over the past three nights along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara and Poonch districts.

Indian forces have been responding to Pakistani fire with appropriate retaliation, though no casualties have been reported so far.


Following the deadly Pahalgam attack, India has also expelled Pakistani military attachés, closed the Attari land-transit post, and taken several strong diplomatic measures. These decisions were finalized in a Cabinet Committee on Security meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who pledged that India would "identify, track, and punish" the terrorists and their "backers" responsible for the attack.


In response, Pakistan has suspended all bilateral agreements with India, including the 1972 Simla Agreement.


Meanwhile, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the investigation into the Pahalgam terror attack, intensifying efforts to collect evidence and interrogating several overground workers and jailed terrorists aggressively.

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