NEW DELHI: India’s crude oil supplies remain stable despite the ongoing crisis in West Asia that has disrupted key global energy routes, a senior government official said on Wednesday. While interacting with media at an inter-ministerial press briefing, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said the country has secured sufficient crude through a diversified procurement strategy.
“India’s crude supply remains secure. Our daily consumption stands at around 55 lakh barrels, and the volumes we have sourced through diversified procurement currently exceed what would typically have arrived via the Strait of Hormuz during this period,” Sharma said.
Addressing concerns about the impact of tensions in West Asia on cooking gas supplies, Sharma said the government has absorbed a significant portion of the rise in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) costs in order to protect consumers.
She noted that domestic LPG supply is currently being prioritised for households, while supplies for non-domestic use are being directed towards essential services such as hospitals and educational institutions.
“LPG is presently being prioritised for the domestic sector. For non-domestic use, priority is being given to critical sectors including hospitals and educational institutions,” she said.
Sharma added that a committee is engaging with state governments and industry stakeholders to finalise a mechanism that will ensure the fair and transparent distribution of available LPG supplies.
She further said that India has secured additional liquefied natural gas (LNG) shipments to stabilise the country’s energy supply.
“Our gas companies have procured LNG cargoes from new sources, and two LNG shipments are currently on their way to India,” she said.
Highlighting India’s energy procurement strategy, Sharma said the country currently imports crude oil from around 40 different nations, which helps reduce reliance on any single supplier or supply route.
She also pointed out that domestic refineries are operating at full capacity, and in some cases even beyond their designed capacity, to ensure uninterrupted supply of petroleum products across the country.
The government has also decided to prioritise natural gas supply for sectors considered critical to the economy, including fertiliser manufacturing, tea production, and gas grid operations, which play an important role in supporting agriculture and industry.
Sharma noted that India imports roughly 60 per cent of its LPG requirements, and nearly 90 per cent of these imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz, making the route strategically vital for the country’s energy security.
To improve domestic availability, the government has directed refining and petrochemical units to optimise LPG production, which has resulted in an approximately 25 per cent increase in domestic LPG output.
The additional production is being mainly channelled towards household consumers to ensure uninterrupted availability of cooking gas. While assuring the public that supplies remain adequate, Sharma urged consumers not to panic or rush to book LPG cylinders.
“As a temporary demand management measure, the minimum gap between LPG cylinder bookings has been increased from 21 days to 25 days,” she said.
Officials said these measures are aimed at maintaining supply stability and ensuring uninterrupted fuel availability for households and essential sectors, despite disruptions in global energy supply routes.
