Indian hospitals are running critically low on liquid helium needed to operate MRI machines, with some facilities reporting just days of supply remaining as the Iran war continues to disrupt Qatar's Ras Laffan production complex — the source of roughly one-third of global helium output [1].

MRI scanners require liquid helium to cool superconducting magnets to near absolute zero. There is no substitute. When helium runs out, the machine shuts down. India imported the vast majority of its medical helium from Qatar, and that supply chain has been effectively severed since Iranian strikes damaged Ras Laffan infrastructure in early March.

Helium spot prices have risen more than 100% since the war began. The Economic Times reported that India's healthcare system faces "new pressure as global helium supplies tighten," with hospitals already rationing MRI scans in some regions. Forbes noted that the war "could make your next MRI more expensive" globally, but in India the concern is availability, not just cost.

The crisis extends beyond healthcare. Helium is essential for semiconductor manufacturing, fiber optics production, and scientific research. South Korea gets 65% of its semiconductor helium from a single Qatari facility. The disruption threatens chip fabrication lines alongside medical diagnostics.

India had been working to reduce helium dependency, with domestic MRI manufacturers developing helium-free cooling systems. But the installed base of thousands of conventional MRI machines cannot be converted overnight.

If the Qatar outage extends beyond 60 days — now increasingly likely given the conflict's trajectory — India will be among the first countries to face systematic MRI service failures.

-- PRIYA SHARMA, New Delhi