New Delhi: The Government of India on Wednesday said the country’s energy supplies remain secure despite recent developments in West Asia, even as it continues to monitor maritime operations and the safety of Indian nationals in the region.
At an inter-ministerial briefing held at the National Media Centre, senior officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting outlined the government’s preparedness measures to deal with the evolving situation. The briefing covered energy supply, shipping safety, welfare of Indian nationals abroad and communication strategies to keep the public informed.
Officials said India has significantly diversified its crude oil imports in recent years, reducing dependence on routes passing through the Strait of Hormuz. About 70% of India’s crude imports are now routed through alternative pathways compared with around 55% earlier. India currently imports crude oil from nearly 40 countries, helping secure supplies even if disruptions occur in specific regions.
India’s daily crude consumption is approximately 55 lakh barrels, and current procurement levels exceed what would normally have been transported through the Strait of Hormuz during this period. Two additional crude cargoes are already en route and expected to arrive in the coming days. Refineries across the country are operating at very high-capacity utilisation levels, in some cases exceeding 100%, to ensure steady fuel availability.
On natural gas supplies, officials said India consumes around 189 MMSCMD of gas, of which about 97.5 MMSCMD is produced domestically. Around 47.4 MMSCMD of supply has been affected due to force majeure conditions. To address the shortfall, gas companies have secured LNG cargoes from alternative sources, with two shipments already on their way to India.
To ensure priority sectors remain protected, the government issued a Natural Gas Control Order under the Essential Commodities Act on 9 March 2026. Under the order, domestic PNG supply and CNG for vehicles will receive full allocation without cuts. Industrial consumers such as tea and manufacturing units connected to the gas grid will receive about 80% of their previous six-month average supply. Fertiliser plants will receive about 70% supply, while refineries and petrochemical units will reduce consumption by about 35% to prioritise essential sectors.
The government also addressed concerns around LPG supplies. India imports about 60% of its LPG consumption, with nearly 90% of these imports normally passing through the Strait of Hormuz. To offset possible disruptions, the government directed refineries and petrochemical complexes to maximise LPG production by diverting propane, butane and related streams to the LPG pool.
As a result, domestic LPG production has increased by about 25% and the entire domestic production is being prioritised for household consumption. Non-domestic LPG supplies are being prioritised for essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions.
A three-member committee consisting of executive directors from Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation has been formed to review LPG allocations for restaurants, hotels and other commercial users to ensure fair distribution.
Officials said the current price of a domestic LPG cylinder in Delhi is ₹913 after a recent increase of ₹60, while beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana continue to receive cylinders at ₹613. The government has approved compensation of ₹30,000 crore to oil marketing companies to cover LPG under-recoveries.
Authorities have also observed some panic booking and hoarding behaviour in the market. However, officials said the normal delivery cycle remains around 2.5 days and urged consumers not to rush bookings. As a temporary demand management step, the minimum gap between LPG bookings has been increased from 21 to 25 days. The Delivery Authentication Code system is also being expanded to cover about 90% of consumers to prevent diversion at the distributor level.
On maritime safety, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said 28 Indian-flagged vessels are currently operating in the Persian Gulf region. Of these, 24 vessels are located west of the Strait of Hormuz carrying 677 Indian seafarers, while four vessels east of the strait have 101 Indian seafarers onboard. Their safety is being continuously monitored through a 24-hour control room established by the ministry and the Directorate General of Shipping.
Authorities have issued advisories directing Indian vessels and seafarers to adopt enhanced security protocols and provide regular reporting of crew details. Indian embassies and maritime agencies are coordinating with ship managers and local authorities to ensure assistance is available whenever required.
Officials said port operations across India remain stable and ports have been instructed to support exporters and maintain uninterrupted EXIM trade. Continuous monitoring of vessel movements and cargo flows is being carried out to respond quickly to any developments.
The Ministry of External Affairs said the safety of the Indian diaspora in the Gulf region remains a priority. Around one crore Indians live in GCC countries. Indian missions in the region are issuing regular advisories and staying in close contact with community members.
The Prime Minister has spoken with leaders of several West Asian countries including the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Israel. The External Affairs Minister has also been in regular communication with counterparts across the region, including Iran.
Indian missions have assisted stranded tourists and transit passengers in returning home through commercial flights from cities such as Muscat, Riyadh and Jeddah. A control room has also been set up by the Ministry of External Affairs to help Indian nationals.
Officials confirmed that two Indian nationals have died and one remains missing following attacks on merchant ships in the region. Several injured individuals are receiving treatment and are being assisted by Indian missions.
Around 9,000 Indian nationals are currently in Iran. The Indian mission is maintaining close contact with the community and has relocated students and pilgrims from Tehran to safer cities. Assistance is also being provided for land border crossings into Armenia and Azerbaijan so that affected individuals can travel onward to India.
The government also asked states and union territories to remain vigilant against black marketing and hoarding of essential commodities. The Union Home Secretary held a meeting with chief secretaries and directors general of police across states, advising them to ensure uninterrupted availability of essential supplies and to take strict action against hoarding.
States have been asked to nominate spokespersons to provide regular public updates and to disseminate verified information through official social media channels and local administration networks.
Officials said the government continues to closely monitor developments in West Asia and is coordinating across ministries to ensure energy security, safeguard Indian nationals abroad, maintain maritime safety and keep essential supplies available within the country.
