Firozabad glass factories face gas shortages and higher prices from Iran war
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · May 4
Firozabad glass factories face gas shortages and higher prices from Iran war
3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · May 4
In Uttar Pradesh, the disruption threatens up to one million livelihoods in a glassmaking hub near the Taj Mahal that generates more than $1 billion annually, including $200 million in exports.
Hundreds of small and midsize firms making bottles, beads, chandeliers and headlights rely on imported natural gas, mostly from the Persian Gulf, leaving them exposed to supply shocks.
Firozabad's factories have been barred from using coal since 1996 to protect the Taj Mahal, underscoring how external energy disruptions can hit labour-intensive industries vital to India's jobs market.
Can India's 'City of Glass' survive a global energy war that has shattered its lifeline?
With its gas supply choked by war, must India choose between its manufacturing dreams and energy security?
As the Strait of Hormuz remains closed, are US naval escorts enough to salvage the global energy market?