The government decided on a range of measures on Sunday to ensure food, fuel and fertiliser security amid disruptions due to the conflict in West Asia, as a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled immediate and long-term steps to ensure the availability of fuel and diversification of imports of fertilisers and other essential needs.. Modi convened a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) as the conflict sparked by Israel and the US’s attacks on Iran entered its fourth week (@narendramodi X). Modi convened a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) as the conflict sparked by Israel and the US’s attacks on Iran entered its fourth week, with oil prices rising above $100 a barrel, concerns growing about shortfalls in gas supplies, and countries around the globe bracing for a spike in living costs.. The meeting reviewed “mitigating measures” in the wake of the conflict in West Asia, Modi said on social media. “We had extensive discussions on short-, medium- and long-term measures, including ensuring continued availability of fertilisers for farmers, diversifying import sources for key sectors, promoting exports to new destinations and more,” he said.. The meeting focused on the expected impact of the conflict on sectors such as agriculture, fertilisers, food security, petroleum, power, MSMEs, exporters, shipping, trade, finance and supply chains, and the measures being taken to address the fallout, an official readout said. Cabinet Secretary T V Somanathan made a presentation on the global situation and mitigating measures initiated by all ministries and departments.. With the conflict in West Asia set to have “significant” short-, medium- and long-term impacts on the global economy, the meeting assessed its effect on India and discussed immediate and long-term countermeasures, as well as the overall macroeconomic scenario in the country.. The meeting also made a detailed assessment of the availability of critical needs of the people, including food, energy and fuel security. “Short-term, medium-term and long-term measures to ensure continued availability of essential needs were discussed in detail,” the readout said.. Besides assessing the impact on farmers and their requirement of fertilisers for the Kharif season, the meeting discussed alternative sources to ensure continued availability. “The measures taken in the last few years to maintain adequate stocks of fertilisers will ensure timely availability and food security,” the readout said.. Almost half of global imports of urea and sulphur, a crucial component for fertilisers, come from West Asian countries, and the blocking of the Strait of Hormuz has already disrupted the supply of critical raw materials for the fertiliser sector, such as ammonia, LNG, diammonium phosphate (DAP), and potash.. The meeting decided to maintain adequate coal stocks at all power plants to “ensure no shortage of electricity” across the country. It also
