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Lesson from China’s export restrictions: India eyes fertilizer plant project in Russia; aim to protect against supply shocks – The Times of India

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Lesson from China’s export restrictions: India eyes fertilizer plant project in Russia; aim to protect against supply shocks – The Times of India


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Indian fertiliser companies are preparing to set up a urea manufacturing facility in Russia, a move that is likely to be announced during Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in December. This would be India’s first fertiliser venture in Russia.The plant will use Russia’s abundant ammonia and natural gas reserves, ensuring a stable supply of this key agricultural input and reducing India’s reliance on volatile global prices, according to a report by ET.State-owned Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilisers (RCF) and National Fertilisers Ltd (NFL), along with government-backed Indian Potash Ltd (IPL), have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Russian partners to begin planning the project, the report said.The plant is expected to produce over 2 million tonnes of urea annually. Negotiations are ongoing on land allocation, natural gas, ammonia pricing and transportation logistics.India depends largely on imports of raw materials like ammonia and natural gas for its domestic fertilizer production.The Russian facility is expected to shield India from future price shocks and supply disruptions. It will also strengthen economic ties between the two countries, which already collaborate in energy, defence and agribusiness.The project comes after India faced an acute fertiliser shortage during this year’s kharif (monsoon) season, when China temporarily halted exports of urea and other nutrients.The disruption forced India to seek supplies from other markets at higher costs, raising concerns about food production.Demand for fertilizers has gone up due to well-distributed monsoon rains. Consequently, nutrient-rich crops like maize are being grown by farmers.During the winter season, the need for urea increases even further for rabi crops such as wheat.In order to keep fertilisers accessible and affordable for farmers, they are regulated and subsidised in India, contributing to food security. The burden of government subsidies rises as global prices rise.The initial budget of Rs 1.68 lakh crore was increased to Rs 1.92 lakh crore for FY25 for the Department of Fertilisers. India’s domestic urea production hit a record 31.4 million tonnes in FY24.Despite these efforts, India still relies heavily on imports for raw materials and is the second-largest user as well as the third-largest producer of fertilizers globally.





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Rupee inches closer to 94: Currency falls 20 paise to 93.96 per US dollar in early trade – The Times of India

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Rupee inches closer to 94: Currency falls 20 paise to 93.96 per US dollar in early trade – The Times of India


Rupee on Wednesday took another fall towards the 94 per US dollar mark, tumbling 20 paise in early trade to reach 93.96 against the greenback. This follows a weak run for the currency this month. Earlier on Tuesday, the currency had already slipped by 23 paise to settle at 93.76, pressured by a stronger US dollar against major currencies and elevated global crude oil prices, which weighed on investor sentiment.Rupee has been facing pressure due to foreign fund outflows, with forex traders citing uncertainty linked to the West Asia crisis as a key factor behind the sustained weakness. The currency had already shown signs of strain earlier in the week, inching closer to the psychological 94-level against the US dollar for the first time on Monday, before recovering to close flat at 93.53.“Persistent FPI outflows continue to pressure INR. A strong US dollar is keeping emerging market currencies weak, and the INR has weakened by about 4.5 per cent during the month. The rupee range for Wednesday is expected to be 93.65 to 94.25,” Anil Kumar Bhansali, head of treasury and executive director, Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP, said. Meanwhile, Dalal Street remained strong with benchmark indices jumping by over 1% each. As of 9:40 am IST, NSE Nifty50 was trading at 23,212.55, up 300.15 or 1.31%. BSE Sensex was also trading in green, gaining almost 900 points or 1.22% to trade at 74,969.91.Uncertainity around the Middle East tensions have also triggered volitality in financial markets. The plunge comes after the United States had put forward a 15-point proposal to Iran aimed at ending the ongoing conflict. US President Donald Trump said Washington and Tehran are “currently in negotiations” and suggested that Iran is eager to strike a peace deal, even as the Islamic Republic has denied holding any direct talks with the United States.

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Rahul Gandhi Warns Of Inflation Wave Amid Rupee Fall, Slams Modi Govt Over Strategy



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Stock market today (March 25, 2026): Nifty50 opens above 23,100; BSE Sensex rises over 700 points as oil goes below $100 – The Times of India

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Stock market today (March 25, 2026): Nifty50 opens above 23,100; BSE Sensex rises over 700 points as oil goes below 0 – The Times of India


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Stock market today: Nifty50 and BSE Sensex continued their rally on Wednesday rising almost 1% in opening trade. While Nifty50 went above 23,100, BSE Sensex rose over 700 points. At 9:16 AM, Nifty50 was trading at 23,126.65, up 214 points or 0.94%. BSE Sensex was at 74,775.22, up 707 points or 0.95%.Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited says, “Hope is returning to the market with indications of deescalation in the conflict. Remarks from President Trump and from the Iranian regime indicate that the conflict might end soon. Particularly the reiteration from Iran that “non-hostile ships can transit the Strait of Hormuz” is good news that will mitigate India’s energy concerns. These positive geopolitical developments have reflected a sharp decline in Brent crude to around $98. The US 10-year yield also has declined. Gold has recovered. If this positive development sustains, there is room for a sharp rebound in the market. But if the recovery is to sustain FIIs should stop their big sustained selling, which, in turn, will require stability in the rupee. Yesterday’s 399 point recovery in the Nifty was caused more by short covering. In the near-term, mid and small caps can rebound more than large caps since there is no worry of significant FII selling in this segment.”Asian equities moved higher as optimism grew around Washington’s efforts to resolve the nearly month-long conflict in the Middle East. The dollar also weakened.US markets, however, saw choppy trading during Tuesday’s session, as investors weighed concerns over rising oil prices against hopes for a resolution to the conflict. This came even as reports indicated that additional American troops could be deployed to the region despite signs of diplomatic progress.Oil prices fell more than 5% on Wednesday on expectations that a potential ceasefire could ease supply disruptions from the key Middle East producing region, following reports that the US had presented Iran with a 15-point proposal to end the conflict.On the domestic front, foreign institutional investors remained net sellers, offloading shares worth Rs 8,009.56 crore on Tuesday, while domestic institutional investors provided some support by purchasing equities worth Rs 5,867.15 crore.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)



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Top stocks to buy today: Stock recommendations for March 25, 2026 – check list – The Times of India

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Top stocks to buy today: Stock recommendations for March 25, 2026 – check list – The Times of India


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Stock market recommendations: Aurobindo Pharma, Infosys, and Larsen & Toubro (L&T) – these are the stocks that Mehul Kothari, DVP – Technical Research at Anand Rathi Shares and Stock Brokers has recommended as top stocks to buy today (March 25, 2026):Aurobindo Pharma – Breakout with Momentum ConfirmationBuy: ₹1280–₹1260 | Stop Loss: ₹1235 | Target: ₹1390Aurobindo Pharma has delivered a decisive breakout after several weeks of consolidation, indicating a potential resumption of the uptrend. The stock had been trading within a narrow range, forming a strong base before this upward move. From a technical standpoint, the setup appears constructive with multiple indicators aligning in favor of the bulls. The DMI reflects a positive bias, suggesting strengthening directional momentum, while the RSI has moved above the 60 mark, indicating strong buying interest and improving trend strength. Additionally, the MACD has given a bullish crossover above the zero line, confirming a shift in momentum toward the upside. This confluence of breakout and momentum signals points toward a continuation of the upward move, provided the stock sustains above the breakout zone.Infosys – Bullish Divergence Indicating Potential ReversalBuy: ₹1270–₹1240 | Stop Loss: ₹1175 | Target: ₹1375Infosys is showing early signs of a potential reversal as momentum indicators begin to diverge from price action. While the stock has been forming lower lows, the RSI has been making higher lows, indicating a clear bullish divergence and suggesting that selling pressure is gradually weakening. Adding to this, the MACD has given a bullish crossover, reflecting improving momentum and a possible shift in short-term trend direction. This combination of RSI divergence and MACD confirmation points toward emerging accumulation at lower levels. The setup indicates a high probability of a relief rally or short-term recovery as momentum stabilizes.Larsen & Toubro – Oversold Bounce with Positive DivergenceBuy: ₹3400–₹3350 | Stop Loss: ₹3250 | Target: ₹3600Larsen & Toubro appears to be nearing exhaustion in its recent downtrend, with momentum indicators signaling a potential bounce. Despite the extended decline in price, the RSI is not making fresh lower lows, indicating positive divergence and a gradual loss of selling momentum. At the same time, the MACD is positioned in an oversold zone, which typically reflects trend exhaustion and increases the probability of a reversal or technical pullback. The alignment of these indicators suggests that the stock may witness a short-term recovery if buying interest emerges near current levels.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)



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