India's suspension of sulfur exports will further reduce availability in the sulfur market according to Argus Media. Although the impact is unlikely to be substantial because export activity has already slowed from April 2026 due to the outbreak of war in the Middle East.
No official documents have been released on India's sulfur export restrictions, but market participants appear to widely understand that Indian refiners will be unable to export sulfur until further notice.
Discussion of a potential export suspension first emerged in April, when a meeting was convened with major industry players after the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) called on the chemicals and fertilizers ministry to impose a minimum six-month ban on exports of elemental sulfur. The GCCI cited tightening supply, rising prices and the risk of disruption to fertilizer production.
The export suspension is expected to primarily affect private-sector refiner Reliance Industries (RIL), India's main sulfur exporter, with cargoes typically loading from Bedi port on the country's west coast. India exported 356 900 t of sulfur in January-April, according to Global Trade Tracker (GTT) data. No cargoes were shipped in May because refiners had already begun to prioritise supply to domestic contract customers. Exports were mainly directed to China and Brazil, which received 142 900 t and 110 000 t, respectively, while the remaining volumes were shipped to Indonesia.
The loss of Indian exports comes on the back of an already severely constrained global sulfur market, owing to the near-complete closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
India is heavily reliant on imported sulfur for fertilizer production. The country imported 2.25 million t of sulfur in 2025, with around 84% sourced from the Middle East. Imports fell by 26% on the year to 698 200 t in January-May due to the outbreak of the US-Iran war.
Original article written by Deon Ngee for Argus Media.