In March 2026, the Heavy Aromatic Naphtha Solvent market in India recorded a strong upward movement driven by tight supply conditions, logistics disruptions, and elevated import parity economics. Early-month maintenance at catalytic reformer units and reduced aromatics output from western refiners significantly restricted domestic availability. Weak import inflows from Singapore and South Korea further limited replenishment, intensifying supply tightness. At Kandla port, low inventories combined with rail-tank wagon shortages and container constraints disrupted inland distribution, reducing effective market liquidity across key consuming regions. On the demand side, steady procurement from paint and coatings manufacturers ahead of the construction season, sustained agrochemical buying for the kharif cycle, and stable pharmaceutical intermediate consumption supported firm offtake for Heavy Aromatic Naphtha Solvent. The escalation of the Israel–Iran war further strengthened upward pressure by disrupting Middle East crude and petrochemical trade flows through the Strait of Hormuz, increasing freight, insurance, and energy costs, and raising import parity levels.
