The Strait of Hormuz crisis has exposed the hidden dependencies underpinning India’s agricultural system, revealing how fertiliser, fuel and food security have become inextricably linked in an era of geopolitical uncertainty

For decades, India’s agricultural strategy rested on a seemingly stable foundation of land, water and seeds. Yet a series of geopolitical disruptions—from the Russia-Ukraine war to the Red Sea crisis and, most recently, the Strait of Hormuz conflict—has fundamentally altered the calculus of food security. The article argues that modern agriculture is, at its core, an energy-dependent enterprise and that fertilisers have become the critical junction where geopolitics, energy and food intersect.

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz in early 2026 triggered one of the most severe global supply-chain shocks in recent years, disrupting energy flows and sharply increasing shipping costs. Given that nearly one-third of global urea exports and a substantial share of ammonia trade pass through the waterway, the repercussions for agriculture were immediate and profound. Fertiliser prices surged, LNG costs soared and freight rates escalated, exposing the fragility of globally interconnected nutrient markets.

For India, the crisis underscored a deeper structural vulnerability. The country remains heavily dependent on imported LNG, ammonia, phosphates and potash despite significant domestic production capacities. Rising input costs have increased the government’s subsidy burden while simultaneously highlighting the extent to which India’s nitrogen economy depends on the geopolitical stability of West Asia.

The article explores how fertilisers are essentially “energy transformed into nutrients,” making agricultural productivity vulnerable to fluctuations in global energy markets. It examines the cascading effects of higher natural gas prices on ammonia production, fertiliser availability and ultimately food inflation. The repercussions extend far beyond farms, affecting household energy costs, edible oil prices and the affordability of daily meals.

Industry leaders and economists interviewed for the story argue that fertiliser security can no longer be viewed solely as an agricultural issue. Instead, it must be integrated into broader national strategies encompassing energy security, industrial policy and geopolitical risk management. Experts advocate for measures ranging from strategic fertiliser reserves and diversified sourcing to domestic capacity expansion and investments in advanced nutrient technologies.

The feature also highlights emerging opportunities amid the crisis. As global supply chains undergo realignment, India has an opportunity to strengthen its position in the global agricultural input ecosystem while reducing its exposure to external shocks. Innovations in nutrient-use efficiency, biological alternatives and digital supply-chain management could form part of a more resilient agricultural architecture.

Ultimately, the article contends that the challenge before India extends beyond securing the next cargo of urea or increasing subsidy allocations. The real imperative is to build an agricultural system capable of withstanding geopolitical disruptions in an increasingly interconnected world. The Hormuz episode serves as a powerful reminder that in the twenty-first century, food security and energy security are no longer separate policy domains—they are different chapters of the same strategic story.

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