Amid West Asia crisis, govt says energy supply stable; urges people not to panic buy

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said it is closely monitoring the situation and has taken several steps to ensure an uninterrupted energy supply and the smooth functioning of key sectors.

"Govt. is making all efforts to ensure availability of Petrol, Diesel and LPG, and citizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of petrol and diesel as well as unnecessary booking of LPG," the ministry said in an update.

The advisory comes amid concerns over developments in the Gulf region and around the Strait of Hormuz, a key global energy transit route.

The ministry also urged citizens to rely only on official sources for information and avoid rumours.

"Citizens are advised to beware of rumours and rely only on official sources for correct information," it said.

To reduce crowds at LPG agencies, the government has asked consumers to use digital platforms for bookings.

"For LPG, citizens are requested to use digital modes for booking of LPG cylinders and avoid visiting LPG distributors unless necessary," the ministry said.

The government said LPG supply across the country remains stable, with no reports of shortages.

"No reported dry-out at LPG distributorships," the ministry said, adding that "more than 51 lakh domestic LPG cylinders were delivered yesterday."

Authorities have also strengthened monitoring systems to prevent diversion of cylinders.

"To prevent diversion at the distributor level, Delivery Authentication Code (DAC)-based deliveries have been increased from 53 per cent in February 2026 to 90 per cent yesterday," the ministry said.

To improve access to cooking fuel during the current situation, the government has also expanded the availability of smaller LPG cylinders.

"More than 90,000 - 5 Kg FTL cylinders have been sold yesterday," the ministry said, adding that these cylinders can be purchased by showing any valid ID proof and "no address proof is required."

At the same time, the government is accelerating the expansion of piped natural gas (PNG) connections to reduce dependence on LPG.

"Since March 2026, about 3.6 lakh PNG connections have been gasified. Further, more than 3.9 lakh customers have been registered for new connections," the ministry said.

Consumers have also been encouraged to adopt alternative fuels wherever possible.

"Citizens are encouraged to use alternate fuels such as PNG, induction and electric cooktops wherever feasible," the ministry said.

On the fuel supply front, the government said refineries are operating normally, and the country has sufficient inventories.

"All refineries are operating at high capacity, with adequate crude inventories in place. The country is also maintaining sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel," the ministry said.

The government has also taken steps to shield consumers from rising global oil prices triggered by the West Asia conflict.

"In order to protect consumers from this impact, the Government of India has decided to absorb a part of this burden through a reduction in excise duties on petrol and diesel by Rs 10 per litre," the ministry said.

Meanwhile, maritime operations and the safety of Indian seafarers in the region remain under close watch.

The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways said, "All Indian seafarers in the region are safe, and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours."

A total of "17 Indian-flagged vessels with 460 Indian seafarers remain in the western Persian Gulf region," the ministry said, adding that the situation is being closely monitored.

Port activity across the country also remains unaffected.

"Port operations across India remain normal, with no congestion reported," the ministry said.

The government added that it continues to coordinate with various ministries and state governments while closely monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia. (ANI)