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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.

Pakistan hands over BSF jawan to India after 21 days, celebration at his home

  • PTI
  • May 14, 2025
  • 3 min read


Amritsar: India and Pakistan on Wednesday exchanged each other's border force personnel who had been apprehended along the International Borders (IB) during the recent tensions between the two countries, officials said.


Border Security Force (BSF) jawan Purnam Kumar Shaw was handed over to Indian authorities at the Attari-Wagah border point in Amritsar, 21 days after he was apprehended by the Pakistan Rangers along the IB in Punjab.


"With the consistent efforts of the BSF through regular flag meetings with the Pakistan Rangers and through other communication channels, the repatriation of the BSF constable has become possible," a BSF spokesperson said.


Shaw was apprehended while he was deployed to guard the farmers on the border, a day after the Pahalgam terrorist attack in which 26 people were killed.


The officials said a Pakistan Ranger apprehended by the BSF from the Rajasthan border on May 3 was handed over to the neighbouring country. Officials in Pakistan identified the released Ranger as Muhammadullah.


"Today at 1030 hours Constable Purnam Kumar Shaw has been taken back from Pakistan by the BSF at the Attari-Wagah border," a BSF spokesperson said.


A picture of the jawan released by the force showed a bearded Shaw with ruffled hair and wearing a dark green round-neck T-shirt.


Shaw had "inadvertently" crossed over to the Pakistan territory while on operational duty in the Ferozepur sector on April 23 around 11.50 am and was detained by the Pak Rangers, he said.


The officials told PTI that the jawan will undergo a full body check-up and medical tests, followed by a counselling and 'debriefing' session where he will be asked "relevant questions" by the BSF officials about his 21-day detention by the Rangers.


The jawan, belonging to the 24th BSF battalion, will not be drafted for active duty and will also be part of an official inquiry instituted by the Punjab frontier of the BSF to look into the sequence of his apprehension by the Rangers and find lapses, if any, they said.


The spokesperson said the handover of the jawan at the border "was conducted peacefully and in accordance with established protocols".


The jawan was part of the 'Kisan Guard' that was deployed for the protection of Indian farmers, who till their land ahead of the fence.


The trooper apparently "miscalculated" the alignment of the IB and stepped to rest under a nearby tree from where he was apprehended by the Rangers, the officials had said.


Celebrations erupted at Shaw's residence at Rishra in the Hooghly district of West Bengal following the announcement of his return to India.


Shaw's pregnant wife, Rajani, who had travelled to Pathankot and Ferozepur earlier to personally appeal for her husband's release, thanked the people of the country and political leaders who stood by her during the difficult period.


"The local councillor, MP and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had been in regular touch with me, offering reassurance during the difficult days. I thank each and every one who stood by our family," a smiling Rajani said.


As Shaw's family was informed about his release, relief replaced the intense anxiety that had gripped them for 21 days. The jawan's family members could barely hold back their tears of joy, amid prayers of gratitude and distribution of sweets at his house.


Bholanath Shaw, the jawan's father, said: "Today, we are celebrating. We haven't slept peacefully for days, but now we can finally breathe. He is safe, he is back in India, and that is all that matters."


"I want to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the central Government and the BSF authorities for their relentless efforts in bringing my son back home," he said.


Tensions soared between India and Pakistan after the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, with India carrying out missile strikes against terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir on May 7 under Operation Sindoor and Pakistan attacking India's military installations, drawing a retaliation.


The two sides announced an understanding on May 10 to stop military action.

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