The tender, issued on Saturday, covers 1.5 million tons for delivery via India’s west coast, with an additional 1 million tons planned through the east coast, according to a document published on the company’s website. Shipments are expected to depart load ports by June 14, while bids must be submitted by April 15.

India, the world’s largest importer of urea, routinely relies on global tenders to meet domestic demand, particularly ahead of the June monsoon season when sowing of crops such as rice, corn and soybeans begins.

Fertiliser availability is critical for the agriculture sector, which remains a key component of the country’s economy.The Gulf region accounts for between 20% and 30% of India’s urea imports and roughly half of its liquefied natural gas supplies, a key feedstock for domestic urea production, according to Aparna Sharma, additional secretary in the Department of Fertilisers.

Disruptions linked to the Middle East conflict have constrained gas availability, leading to a drop in local output last month, although supplies have improved in recent weeks, she said.

A Mumbai-based industry official said domestic urea production declined by around 600,000 to 700,000 tons per month during the disruption, with imports expected to partially offset the shortfall.

However, limited global surplus due to supply constraints in the Middle East may affect participation in the tender and influence pricing, the official added.In a previous tender in November, Indian Potash Limited secured urea at $418.40 per tonne on a cost-and-freight basis.

Prices have since risen amid the conflict, and market participants expect the current tender to serve as a pricing benchmark for other buyers in the global fertiliser market.

Air raid sirens sounded across Israel early on Sunday, warning of incoming Iranian missiles, after dozens of people were wounded overnight in separate attacks in the southern towns of Arad and Dimona. Israel’s military said it was carrying out strikes on Tehran hours after the Iranian attacks.

Trump on Saturday warned he would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants if Tehran did not fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours, marking a sharp escalation a day after suggesting the conflict could be wound down.

Iran responded on Sunday by warning it would strike U.S. infrastructure, including energy facilities in the Gulf, if Washington followed through on its threat. The warning came as U.S. Marines and heavy landing craft continued moving toward the region.

The exchange of threats has heightened fears that energy installations across key Gulf producers could become direct targets, widening the conflict beyond current theatres of engagement.

The escalating the crisis has disrupted markets, pushing fuel costs higher and intensifying concerns over global inflation. Analysts said the situation has introduced acute uncertainty into financial markets already strained by supply disruptions.

“President Trump’s threat has now placed a 48-hour ticking time bomb of elevated uncertainty over markets,” said Tony Sycamore, an analyst at IG.

He warned that failure to de-escalate could trigger sharp declines in global equities and further spikes in oil prices.

Oil prices rose on Friday to their highest levels in nearly four years after Iraq declared force majeure on oilfields operated by foreign firms, Israel struck a major Iranian gas field, and Tehran retaliated with attacks on neighbouring countries including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait.

Iranian actions have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow passage that carries around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, triggering what analysts describe as the most severe oil disruption since the 1970s.

The near-closure has also driven European gas prices sharply higher, with increases of up to 35% reported last week, reflecting the strait’s central role in global energy flows.

In a social media post late on Saturday, Trump reiterated his ultimatum, saying the United States would begin targeting Iran’s power infrastructure if the waterway was not reopened “fully” and “without threat” within the specified timeframe.