India, June 19 -- India's agriculture sector stands at a crucial juncture. As the country seeks to balance food security, transition towards a modern export-oriented agricultural economy, and promote ease of doing business, the role of regulation has become more important than ever. Yet, instead of enabling growth, the regulatory landscape governing agricultural inputs is becoming increasingly fragmented. A growing number of states are issuing their own rules, restrictions and administrative orders in areas already governed by central insecticide law, creating uncertainty for industry and raising a fundamental question: are states, in effect, superseding the Centre in agro-input regulation?

The complexity stems from India's constitutiona...