‘City of Glass’ Is Under Threat From Iran War

Far from the war in Iran, disruptions to oil and gas flows are rippling through Uttar Pradesh, an Indian state more populous than Brazil. Manufacturing clusters with specialized supply chains dot its crowded countryside. Each district specializes in a trade: brass in Moradabad, leather in Kanpur, carpets in Bhadohi and glass in Firozabad.

Now in Firozabad, glass factories that rely on imported natural gas, mostly from the Persian Gulf, are exposed to shortages and high prices. At risk are the livelihoods of up to one million people who rely on glassmaking for employment.

The factories in Firozabad, just 21 miles from the Taj Mahal, have been barred from using coal-fired furnaces since 1996 to protect the monument’s white marble facade.

In the city, hundreds of small and midsize firms produce everything from bottles and beads to chandeliers and headlights, generating more than $1 billion in a good year, including $200 million in exports.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/04/business/india-iran-fuel-glass.html