India maps supply chain gaps in pharma, textiles, fertilizers amid West Asia war

New Delhi: As the war in West Asia disrupts global trade flows, the Indian government has launched a sweeping audit of critical supply chains to map vulnerabilities and reduce import dependence, according to three government officials and documents reviewed by Mint.The exercise, which covers sectors such as pharmaceuticals, medical devices, fertilizers and textiles, comes amid concerns that supply shocks could derail India’s growth trajectory.“The plan is to identify structural vulnerabilities in India’s industrial landscape, with a focus on supply chain dependencies and manufacturing capabilities,” the first official cited above said on condition of anonymity.A detailed government questionnaire circulated by the commerce ministry’s supply chain division—reviewed by Mint—to key stakeholders has asked firms to disclose granular data on import dependence, covering specific items, source countries, reliance on foreign suppliers, and whether key inputs are “irreplaceable or non-substitutable”.The questionnaire also seeks production metrics such as HSN-coded output, domestic and export turnover, and constraints to scale, including technology licensing barriers and infrastructure gaps.

The government has set a late-March deadline for consolidated responses.The Centre is also assessing logistics risks—ranging from lead-time increases and port congestion to the share of freight in landed costs—while evaluating industry’s technological readiness, including automation, Industry 4.0 adoption (AI, robotics, ML, IoT), and regulatory reforms needed to boost competitiveness.Queries emailed to the spokespersons of the ministries of commerce, petroleum and natural gas, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, Indian Oil Corp., Hindustan