There are other minerals too that are critical for the fertiliser and steel industries.Beyond the impact of the ongoing conflict in West Asia on global oil and gas markets, a quieter supply risk is emerging for several core Indian industries as tensions threaten to disrupt the flow of key industrial inputs from the region.Sectors such as steel, fertilisers, cement and power transmission depend heavily on imports of essential raw materials from West Asia.These essential industrial inputs include limestone, sulphur, gypsum, direct reduced iron (DRI) and copper wires. Notably, more than half of India’s imports of these commodities had originated in the region. The West Asian region broadly includes the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE — along with other regional economies such as Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen.The missile and drone strikes hitting several energy and logistics facilities across the Gulf have intensified the fears of supply disruptions. The possibility of a closure of the Strait of Hormuz — one of the world’s most critical energy and trade routes — has heightened concerns of a wider global energy supply shock.For India, the region is a crucial supplier of both energy and industrial inputs. According to a report by New Delhi-based trade think tank GTRI, India imported goods worth $98.7 billion from the region in 2025. So, any turbulence in the region or disruption to shipping routes such as the Strait of Hormuz could quickly impact multiple Indian industries beyond oil and gas.Sectors beyond oil, gasAs a major global supplier of oil and gas, any turbulence in West Asia makes global energy markets immediately vulnerable — and India is no exception.The impact of the ongoing conflict is already being felt. With crude oil stockpiles estimated to last only about a month, Indian refiners have begun increasing purchases of discounted Russian oil. Gas companies, too, are weighing the possibility of curbing industrial supplies if disruptions to LNG shipments from Qatar persist.Story continues below this adThe fallout may not remain confined to the energy sector. GTRI report says if disruptions to shipping through the strait continue for over a week, the impact may quickly spread beyond oil and gas markets. If the conflict continues, the effect may be felt in fertiliser supplies, manufacturing inputs, construction materials and export industries such as diamonds, it said.The construction sector, which depends on mineral imports from the region, could feel the impact if the conflict persists. The report estimated that India imported $483 million worth of limestone from West Asia, accounting for 68.5% of its total imports, and $129 million worth of gypsum, representing 62.1% of imports. Both minerals are crucial for the construction ecosystem. Limestone is a key input for cement production, while gypsum is widely used in cement and other construction materials. Any disruption in supplies could push up cement prices and delay infrastructure projects.There are other minerals too that are critical for the fertiliser and steel industries.India imported $420 million worth of sulphur from West Asia, accounting for 65.8% of its imports. Sulphur is used to produce sulphuric acid, an essential input for fertilisers and several chemical industries. India also imported $190 million worth of DRI — a key input used in steelmaking — from the region, representing 59.1% of its imports.Story continues below this adThe conflict could also hit India’s diamond processing industry. The country imports over 40% of its rough diamonds from West Asia, which are processed in the diamond cutting and polishing hubs before being exported as polished diamonds to global markets. Experts say while alternative sources for some raw materials exist, the bigger concern lies in rising energy costs. © The Indian Express Pvt Ltd