Context:

• The ongoing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East—particularly the conflict involving Iran on one side and Israel and the United States on the other—have exposed India’s vulnerabilities in energy and fertiliser supply chains.
• While India currently holds comfortable foreign exchange reserves (over $728 billion), disruptions in critical maritime chokepoints such as the Strait of Hormuz threaten the supply of oil, gas, and fertilisers.
• These disruptions have serious implications for food security and fiscal stability.

Why the Crisis Matters for India?

• Vulnerability in energy imports:
  • India imports about 88% of its crude oil requirement.
  • In FY 2024–25, India imported 243 million tonnes (Mt) of crude oil worth $137 billion, nearly half sourced from the Gulf via the Strait of Hormuz.
  • Brent crude prices jumped from $66/barrel to $120/barrel during the crisis before stabilising around $100, resulting in rising fuel import bills.
• Vulnerabilities extends to cooking gas as well:
  • The country imports about two-thirds of its LPG (31.3 Mt in FY25), much of which moves through the same corridor.
  • As supplies tightened and import costs rose, domestic LPG prices were raised by Rs 60 per cylinder.
• Disruption in natural gas and LNG supply:
  • India imported about 27 Mt of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in FY25, roughly half of domestic demand. Qatar supplies nearly 50% of India’s LNG imports.
  • Asian spot LNG prices surged from $10/mmBtu to $24–25/mmBtu.
  • Policy response: The government invoked the Essential Commodities Act to prioritise gas allocation for households and transport.
  • Consequences: Fertiliser manufacturers are receiving only 70% of their normal gas allocation, threatening domestic urea production.

Fertiliser Security - A Critical Concern:

• Heavy dependence on urea imports:
  • India consumes about 40 Mt of urea annually. Domestic production stagnates at 30 Mt, forcing imports. Imports may exceed 10 Mt in FY26 (up from 5.6 Mt in FY25).
  • Price shock: Global urea prices rose from $484/tonne to $652/tonne within 10 days (almost 35% increase).
  • Import dependence: Over 60% of urea imports originate from the Persian Gulf region. Natural gas (key feedstock for urea) is 85% imported. Hence, effective urea import dependence comes around 55%.
• Dependence on other fertiliser inputs:
  • India’s fertiliser ecosystem relies heavily on imports.
  • For example, over 80% of India’s Ammonia & Sulphur requirement is imported from the Gulf, DAP (~40% from Saudi Arabia), MOP (Potash, almost entirely imported), phosphatic raw materials (90–95% imported).
  • Overall, India depends on global supply chains for 68–70% of fertiliser needs.

Implications for Food Security and Fiscal Stability:

• Food security risks: Fertilisers are critical for agricultural productivity and crop yields. Supply disruptions can directly affect food production and prices.
• Fiscal pressure: Fertiliser subsidy could exceed ₹2 lakh crore in FY27, compared with the budgeted ₹1.7 lakh crore.
• Trade impact: India exports $11.8 billion worth of agricultural products to Middle Eastern markets, which could also face disruptions.

Key Structural Challenges and Way Forward:

• High import dependence: For fertiliser inputs and feedstocks.
  • Invest: In overseas fertiliser mineral assets. Establish a $1 billion fertiliser investment fund to enable Indian firms to acquire stakes in global mining projects.
• Geopolitical risks: Expand/diversify sourcing from Africa, Central Asia, and Latin America.
• Distorted fertiliser pricing system: Particularly heavily subsidised urea.
  • Reform fertiliser subsidy mechanism: Shift to Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) of fertiliser subsidies directly to farmers. Gradually deregulate fertiliser prices.
  • If full subsidy reform is difficult, introduce quantitative restrictions based on farm size, cropping patterns, and recommended nutrient doses by agricultural universities.
  • Implementation can leverage the government's AgriStack digital infrastructure.
• Inefficient nutrient use: Skewed towards nitrogen (N) over phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). Subsidy leakages are also estimated at about 20%.
  • Encourage: Balanced nutrient usage (N, P, K), and reduce fiscal burden and subsidy leakages.
  • Expand Nutrient-Based Subsidy (NBS) framework: Extend NBS Scheme (currently applied to phosphatic and potassic fertilisers) to urea. Align fertiliser prices and encourage balanced fertiliser application.

Conclusion:

• Though the ongoing geopolitical crisis in the Middle East highlights India’s strategic vulnerability, crises can also catalyse reform.
• By reforming the sector, India can transform this moment of disruption into an opportunity for long-term fertiliser security and sustainable agriculture.
• Decisive policy action now could shield India’s food system from future geopolitical shocks.

Context

• The debate surrounding the right to die with dignity lies at the intersection of constitutional law, medical ethics, and human rights.
• The case of Harish Rana brought this debate to the forefront of Indian constitutional discourse.
• After remaining in a Persistent Vegetative State (PVS) for more than a decade following a tragic accident, Rana’s parents approached the Supreme Court seeking permission to withdraw life support.
• Their plea raised profound questions about the meaning of life, dignity, and autonomy under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution.

The Tragedy of Harish Rana and the Constitutional Question

• In 2013, 20-year-old Harish Rana suffered critical injuries after falling from the fourth floor of his accommodation.
• The accident left him in a PVS, with no ability to respond to stimuli. For thirteen years, he remained dependent on life support systems, primarily sustained through Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH).
• Despite continuous medical attention and devoted care from his parents, no signs of recovery appeared.
• Confronted with the emotional and physical burden of prolonged treatment without improvement, his parents petitioned the Supreme Court seeking permission to withdraw life support.
• The case presented a fundamental constitutional dilemma: whether continuing medical treatment that offers no possibility of recovery serves the purpose of protecting life, or whether it merely prolongs biological existence without dignity.
• Addressing this question required a deeper interpretation of the right to life guaranteed under Article 21.

Evolution of the Right to Die with Dignity in India

• Gian Kaur v. State of Punjab (1996)
  • The jurisprudence surrounding end-of-life decisions in India has gradually developed through landmark judicial decisions.
  • In Gian Kaur v. State of Punjab (1996), the Supreme Court affirmed that Article 21 guarantees the right to live with dignity, but rejected the idea that it includes a right to die.
  • The judgment emphasised the sanctity of life and upheld the criminalisation of suicide.
• Aruna R. Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011)
  • The debate resurfaced in the case of Aruna Shanbaug, who remained in a Persistent Vegetative State after a brutal assault.
  • In Aruna R. Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011), the Supreme Court recognised the concept of passive euthanasia under exceptional circumstances.
  • Although the request to withdraw life support in that case was denied, the Court established procedural guidelines to regulate decisions involving the withdrawal of treatment, drawing upon international legal frameworks.
• Common Cause v. Union of India (2018)
  • The Constitution Bench recognised that the right to refuse medical treatment forms part of the right to life and dignity under Article 21.
  • The Court linked this right to the principles of privacy, autonomy, and self-determination, affirming that individuals possess control over decisions affecting their own bodies.
  • Detailed safeguards were established to regulate withdrawal of medical treatment, including the involvement of primary and secondary medical boards.

The Supreme Court’s Reasoning in the Harish Rana Case

• The first issue concerned whether Clinically Assisted Nutrition and Hydration (CANH) qualified as medical treatment.
• The Court determined that CANH involves continuous medical supervision, specialised knowledge, and periodic evaluation.
• Because its administration requires professional expertise and emergency management, it was recognised as a form of medical intervention.
• The second issue concerned whether withdrawing this treatment would serve Rana’s best interests.
• The Court emphasised that such decisions must consider the perspectives of family members, medical professionals, and the patient’s condition.
• When recovery becomes impossible and treatment merely prolongs biological life without improvement, continuing intervention ceases to serve a meaningful purpose.
• Consequently, the Court concluded that withdrawing life support was consistent with Rana’s best interests, recognising the limits of medical treatment in circumstances where recovery is unattainable.

Constitutional Morality and the Ethics of Death

• While the Constitution safeguards life as a fundamental right, it also recognises that dignity, autonomy, and personal choice are essential components of that right.
• Situations involving irreversible medical conditions challenge traditional assumptions about the purpose of life-sustaining treatment.
• By allowing passive euthanasia under strict safeguards, the judiciary has attempted to reconcile ethical considerations with constitutional values.
• The Common Cause guidelines ensure that decisions regarding withdrawal of treatment are carefully evaluated through medical boards, procedural safeguards, and consideration of the patient’s best interests.

Conclusion

• The story of Harish Rana represents both a personal tragedy and a significant development in constitutional jurisprudence.
• His case strengthens the evolving recognition that dignity, autonomy, and compassion must guide decisions concerning life and death.
• Through cases such as Gian Kaur, Aruna Shanbaug, and Common Cause, the Supreme Court has gradually expanded the interpretation of Article 21 to include the right to refuse medical treatment in situations where recovery is impossible.