Jordan, a small country in West Asia, is not generally discussed much in India, but whenever it comes to India-Jordan relations, fertilizer supplies or Prime Minister-level visits, one name comes up again and again. Jordan’s natural mineral wealth is the backbone of the country’s economy and makes it an important player in the region.
This treasure is mainly hidden under the ground in the form of minerals like phosphate and potash, which are not only the key to the prosperity of Jordan, but also have strategic importance for agricultural countries like India. India imports fertiliser, phosphate, potash and gypsum from Jordan. It is natural to mention these resources in the context of PM Narendra Modi’s two-day (15-16 December) visit to Jordan, because this treasure is the most important link in the partnership between the two countries.
Jordan’s natural treasures
Jordan is a country almost devoid of coastline, desert and poor in water resources. Unlike the oil-rich Gulf countries, there are no large reserves of crude oil here. Despite this, the biggest pillar that provides stability and strength to Jordan’s economy is the mining sector, especially phosphate and potash. Jordan is counted among the major phosphate producing countries of the world.
Phosphate fertilizers, animal feed, chemicals and many industrial products are made from phosphate. There is a constant demand for phosphate at the global level, because these fertilizers are essential for increasing agricultural production. Potash is a term mainly used for potassium based compounds, which is necessary to increase soil fertility and strengthen plants.
Phosphate mine.
The areas around the Dead Sea of Jordan are rich sources of potash. The potash extracted from here reaches the lands of farmers all over the world, including India. Due to these minerals, Jordan is often called the country of fertilizer treasure, because they are directly related to agricultural production and food security.
mining sector enriching the economy
Jordan’s economy is diverse, but phosphate and potash are its major sources of foreign exchange. Phosphates, phosphate-based chemicals and potash contribute significantly to Jordan’s total exports. Thousands of people get employment in mines, processing plants, transportation and ports. The income from the sale of these minerals helps the government spend on infrastructure, education, health and social schemes. That is, just as oil is the basis of prosperity of some Gulf countries, similarly for Jordan this mineral fertilizer sector is a treasure in a way, which gives it economic strength.
PM Modi leaves for Jordan
Over the next three days, will be going to Jordan, Ethiopia and Oman. These are three valued partners with whom India has age-old civilizational ties and strong bilateral relations.https://t.co/QSkwR9m6IZ
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) December 15, 2025
India-Jordan relations: Strong partnership based on minerals
India is an agricultural country, where crores of farmers require huge quantities of fertilizers every year to increase their yield. Phosphate and potash based fertilizers are extremely important considering the nutritional requirement of Indian soil. There are not enough phosphate mineral reserves in India. Potash is almost completely dependent on imports. Here Jordan emerges as a natural and reliable partner.
India has been importing DAP (DAPDi-Ammonium Phosphate), phosphoric acid, phosphate rock and potash on a large scale from Jordan. Many Indian government and private companies have long-term supply agreements with Jordanian companies. Joint ventures in the field of fertilizers between India and Jordan have institutionalized the partnership between the two countries. This provides India with relatively stable prices and long-term security of supply, while Jordan gets assured markets and investment. Fertilizer supply should be systematic and affordable, it is also important for India’s food security. For this reason, India’s partnership with mineral-rich, but politically relatively stable countries like Jordan is seen at a strategic level.
PM Modi’s visit to Jordan and fertilizer diplomacy
When the Prime Minister of India visits Jordan, it is not just a formal diplomatic visit. There are many concrete economic and strategic goals behind this. Jordan’s treasure trove of phosphates and potash naturally features high on the agenda of the visit. India tries to make long-term contracts with Jordan, in which continuous supply of fertilizers and raw minerals can be ensured. This reduces the impact of price fluctuations in the international market to some extent.
The specialty of Jordan is that it is a politically stable country.
Indian companies can jointly develop the resources there by investing in Jordan. This provides Jordan with modern technology, capital and a stable market, while India can get finished fertilizers or raw materials at relatively better terms. Jordan has minerals, but limited energy resources; India has technical and engineering capability. In such a situation, cooperation in energy efficient plants, port facilities, and logistics networks can be beneficial for both. Many analysts also call this entire process fertilizer diplomacy, where the main goal of diplomatic relations is to strengthen agriculture and food security.
Jordan’s treasure is not only of economic but also geopolitical importance.
The specialty of Jordan is that it is a relatively stable country politically. Has been playing the role of peace and mediation in the region. Even amidst the deteriorating situation in West Asia, he often adopts a balanced and practical approach. In such a situation, Jordan’s natural resources are not only important from the economic point of view, but they are also part of the geopolitical balance. Countries whose agricultural interests are linked to Jordan’s mineral supplies are naturally also interested in Jordan’s stability and security. On the other hand, Jordan also understands that the more diverse countries its mineral resources reach, the stronger its diplomatic position will be. Jordan’s relations with a big market like India further deepen this balance.
India’s partnership with Jordan is important from all three points of view: strategic, economic and agricultural security.
future prospects
Today the world not only talks about increasing production, but also emphasizes on sustainable development and environment-friendly agriculture. In this perspective also, Jordan’s mineral wealth and India-Jordan cooperation can find new dimensions. Development of technologies that are more effective in smaller quantities and have less negative impact on soil health. Jordan’s mineral resources and India’s scientific capacity can together create a new product range. Both countries will benefit from joint research on soil quality, climate change and crop specific fertilizer policies. With this, farmer friendly and environment friendly solutions can be found. If Jordan’s mineral resources are developed in a transparent, sustainable and just manner, it could contribute to the economic stability of the entire region. Constructive partnership with partner countries like India can play an important role in this direction.
In this way, we find that the treasure of Jordan is not the name of any gold or silver mine, but the abundance of minerals like phosphate and potash, which gives economic strength to this desert country and gives it a special place in the world economy. For India, which is dependent on fertilizers to meet the food needs of its growing population, this partnership with Jordan is important from all three points of view: strategic, economic and agricultural security.
Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Jordan and the high-level talks symbolize that India deeply understands the importance of this fertilizer treasure and wants to turn it into a development story for both the countries through a long-term, stable and beneficial relationship.
Also read: Where did the spices for the Mughlai food that the British were crazy about come from?