Context
- Recently, the international price of sulphur has risen nearly four-fold in one year, adding to India’s import burden.
Why Prices Rose?
- Supply Disruptions in Russia: Ukrainian drone strikes targeting Russian oil and gas processing infrastructure disrupted production and contributed to restrictions on Russia’s exports of industrial sulphur.
- Geopolitical Disruptions in West Asia: The West Asian conflict affected regional production, transportation and maritime trade, with the region accounting for more than 45% of global seaborne sulphur trade.
- China’s Export Restrictions: In 2026, China restricted sulphuric acid exports to prioritise domestic requirements, further tightening regional availability and contributing to upward pressure on sulphur-related markets.
India’s Sulphur Trade
- Import Dependence: India is a net importer of sulphur, as domestic production is insufficient to meet the requirements of key industries.
- Major Import Sources: Imports are primarily sourced from West Asian producers, particularly the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, owing to their large-scale petroleum and natural-gas processing capacity.
- Key Domestic Uses: Imported sulphur is mainly utilised in the production of sulphuric acid, fertilisers, chemicals and other industrial products.
Production and Source of Sulphur
I. Sources
- By-product: About 92% of global sulphur comes from petroleum refining and natural gas processing.
- Mined: Only about 8% is mined directly from natural deposits or sulphur-rich minerals such as pyrites.
II. Top Producers (2025)
- Ranking: China (19 MMT), USA (8.1), Russia (7.5), Saudi Arabia (7.2) and UAE (6.3).
- India: Among the top 10 producers with 3.7 MMT (8th), but relies on imports to meet demand.
| Important CTC from this article for UPSC Prelims – Sulphur |
Q. With reference to sulphur, consider the following statements:
I. About 92% of global sulphur production comes from petroleum refining and natural gas processing.
II. India is among the top five sulphur-producing countries in the world.
III. Sulphuric acid is used in High-Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL) plants to extract nickel from laterite ores.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) I and II only
(b) II and III only
(c) I and III only
(d) I, II and III
Answer: (c)
Statement I is Correct: Sulphur is mainly a by-product of petroleum refining and natural gas processing; only about 8% is mined directly.
Statement II is Incorrect: India produced 3.7 MMT in 2025, ranking 8th; China, the USA, Russia, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are the top five.
Statement III is Correct: Sulphuric acid leaches nickel from laterite ores in HPAL plants, and the nickel is used in products like EV batteries.