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West Asia Conflict Threatens 68.5% of India's Limestone, 62.1% of Gypsum Imports, $98.7 Billion Trade in 2025

EconomyIntl. RelationsInfrastructureHIGH
Target:UPSC GS-IIIMPSCTeachingSSC GAPrelims HighMains Medium
06 Mar 2026
~2 min
Source: Indian Express
Key Data:$98.7 billion imports (2025)68.5% limestone import share62.1% gypsum import share65.8% sulphur import share59.1% DRI import share40% rough diamond import share
Bodies:GTRIICRA LimitedEEPC
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What This Article Covers

1.West Asia conflict risks disrupting supply of key industrial inputs like limestone (68.5% import share), sulphur (65.8%), and gypsum (62.1%) critical for construction, fertilizer, and steel sectors.

2.India imported $98.7 billion worth of goods from West Asia in 2025; a Strait of Hormuz closure could cause a wider global energy and trade shock.

3.Exam angle: Economic vulnerabilities, supply chain diversification, and strategic implications of India's dependence on West Asian mineral imports for core industries.

The Big Picture
Prelims · HighMains · Medium

Beyond the energy market volatility, the West Asia conflict poses a significant supply chain risk to India's core industries. Over 50% of India's imports of critical industrial inputs like limestone, sulphur, and DRI come from the region, threatening sectors from construction to steel and fertilizer production.

Exam Lens

Quick Exam Facts From News

India's Imports from West Asia (2025)$98.7 billion
Limestone Import Share from West Asia68.5% ($483 million)
Gypsum Import Share from West Asia62.1% ($129 million)
Sulphur Import Share from West Asia65.8% ($420 million)
DRI Import Share from West Asia59.1% ($190 million)

1-Minute Revision

  • ›India's Imports from West Asia (2025): $98.7 billion
  • ›Limestone Import Share from West Asia: 68.5% ($483 million)
  • ›Target this Data: 68.5% - India's limestone import share from West Asia.
  • ›Target this Nodal Body: Engineering Exports Promotion Council (EEPC) - cited on steel sector challenges.
  • ›Target this Region: West Asia as defined in the article (GCC + Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen).

Mastered this topic? Test your knowledge with a full MCQ quiz.

Practice exam-style questions, track your score, and strengthen your recall.

Q1Static LinkageEasy

Which of the following organizations' report is cited in the article analyzing India's trade with West Asia?

Q2Statement-basedHard

Consider the following statements regarding the impact of the West Asia conflict on India:

1. India imports over 40% of its rough diamonds from West Asia for its cutting and polishing industry.

2. The fertilizer sector is expected to feel the immediate impact of supply disruptions as it is currently the peak consumption season in India.

3. Alternative sources for industrial inputs like limestone exist in countries such as Thailand and Vietnam.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Q3Data-centricMedium

According to the GTRI report cited in the article, what was the approximate value of India's total imports from the West Asia region in 2025?

Q4Application/ImpactMedium

As per the analysis in the article, what is identified as the 'real challenge' for the steel industry amidst the West Asia conflict, beyond sourcing raw materials like DRI?

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