US Signals End of War; Farmers Protest Fertilizer Shortage

June

2026

The US and Iran agreed to a memorandum of understanding to end the war on 15 Jun. Mediated by Pakistan and Qatar, the deal will formally be signed in Geneva, Switzerland on 19 Jun. Meanwhile, the US attacked three tankers with Indian crew Marivax, Settebello, and Jalveer between 8–11 Jun in the Gulf of Oman. In the attack on Settebello on 10 Jun, three Indian seamen lost their lives. India summoned senior US diplomat Jason Meeks for the second time on 13 Jun. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also called US Secretary of State Marco Rubio calling the US attacks on ships in the Gulf of Oman ‘not justified’. Rubio responded that the US would not tolerate any violation of the blockade in the conflict-hit Strait of Hormuz, signaling a defiant stance, and offered no commiseration or apology. Concurrently, as the paddy sowing season begins, farmers across five states, including Panjab and Haryana, protested on 8 Jun, against inadequate supplies of urea and Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizers. In Panjab alone, demonstrations were held at 74 locations under the banner of the farmers union Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM). In Panjab, 3M hectares are expected to come under paddy cultivation. The union government says there is an adequate supply of fertilizers in Panjab. Panjab Director Agriculture Gurjit Singh Brar said that against the total requirement of 1.5 MMT of urea between April and September, 11 MMT tonnes is available with the state but the Indiawide protests by farmers say otherwise. The state Agriculture Department has warned all fertilizer distributors and retailers against selling products above government-fixed rates, hoarding of stocks or forcing farmers to purchase other products. Moreover, China—which had earlier restricted fertilizer exports—also issued export quotas in recent weeks. This has helped improve global availability and temper prices of nitrogenous fertilizer. Alongside, scientists at Punjab Agricultural University have flagged the possibility of below-normal rainfall in Panjab under an emerging El Nino condition, warning that it could further strain the state’s already depleted groundwater reserves and pose fresh challenges for agriculture. Scientists have advised farmers to adopt water-conservation measures and climate-resilient farming practices including greater use of drip and sprinkler irrigation and measures to conserve soil moisture in anticipation of a potentially deficient monsoon (earlier coverage).