The government is considering steps to increase domestic production of induction cookers, vessel heaters and petrochemical products as the conflict in West Asia continues, people aware of the matter said. Officials held a meeting on Friday to review supply risks and assess production capacity for key goods.
The meeting included officials from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade, the Power Ministry and the Directorate General of Foreign Trade. The government is also examining ways to increase output of gunny bags to support supply chains, the people said.
The review comes as authorities prepare for a prolonged conflict and assess possible disruptions to imports. The government has already reduced import duties on several petrochemical products to address supply concerns and ease cost pressures.
People familiar with the discussions said the government is preparing for different scenarios if the conflict continues for the next few months. “The focus is on ensuring availability of key products and reducing dependence on imports,” one of the people said.
The developments follow an escalation in tensions after US-Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 triggered retaliatory attacks across the region. The strikes have intensified concerns. Damage to key energy infrastructure—including a major liquefied natural gas facility in Qatar—has underscored the long-term risks, with repairs expected to take years. Meanwhile, the near shutdown of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route, continues to choke supply flows.
India imports more than 85% of its crude oil and much of its LPG supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz, meaning sustained high oil prices could push up inflation, weaken the rupee and increase costs for households through fuel, cooking gas and food prices.
On Thursday, US President Donald Trump said in a nationwide address that the US military would hit Iran “extremely hard” for the next two or three weeks. He said the US would “bring them back to the Stone Ages where they belong.” Hours later, Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded on X, saying “there was no oil or gas being pumped in the Middle East back then,” referring to Trump's remarks.
Trump has repeated the threat as the conflict entered its second month and US military deployments in the region continued. Iran has also rejected reports of ceasefire discussions and a proposed 15-point peace plan, calling it “extremely maximalist and unreasonable,” according to a March 25 report by Al Jazeera citing a senior diplomatic source.
Trump also said Iran's “New Regime President” had sought a ceasefire, a claim Tehran denied. “We will consider when Hormuz Strait is open, free, and clear. Until then, we are blasting Iran into oblivion or, as they say, back to the Stone Ages!!!,” he wrote.
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