The Government has intensified nationwide enforcement, strengthened fuel supply mechanisms and scaled up evacuation and assistance efforts for Indian nationals as part of a coordinated response to the evolving situation in West Asia.
At an inter ministerial media briefing held at the National Media Centre, senior officials from the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ports Shipping and Waterways and External Affairs provided a comprehensive update on energy security, maritime logistics, law enforcement actions and the safety of Indian citizens abroad.
The Government underscored that maintaining uninterrupted fuel supplies, preventing market distortions and ensuring the welfare of Indian nationals remain its highest priorities amid disruptions linked to developments around the Strait of Hormuz.
On the domestic front, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas reported that all refineries across the country are operating at high capacity levels and maintaining adequate crude oil inventories. India continues to remain self sufficient in petrol and diesel production, with no requirement for imports to meet domestic demand.
Officials confirmed that there have been no instances of fuel shortages or dry outs at retail outlets, and that supply chains for petrol and diesel remain stable. Citizens have been advised against panic buying, with the Government reiterating that adequate stocks are available across the country.
Natural gas supplies are being carefully managed, with priority sectors receiving full allocation. Supply to piped natural gas and compressed natural gas consumers continues at 100 percent, while supply to industrial and commercial consumers is being regulated at around 80 percent to ensure equitable distribution.
In a significant policy push, commercial LPG consumers in urban areas have been encouraged to transition to piped natural gas. Establishments such as hotels, restaurants, hospitals and hostels are being urged to avail PNG connections through authorised City Gas Distribution entities.
Major CGD companies including Indraprastha Gas Limited, Mahanagar Gas Limited, GAIL Gas and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited are offering incentives such as waiver of registration charges, security deposits and promotional gas credits to accelerate adoption.
The Government has also called upon States and Union Territories to expedite approvals for laying CGD pipelines by granting deemed permissions, waiving road restoration charges and appointing nodal officers to facilitate faster rollout of infrastructure.
LPG supply remains under close monitoring. Domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased by approximately 38 percent to meet rising demand. No supply disruptions have been reported at distributorships, and cylinder deliveries continue as scheduled.
Digital adoption in LPG services has seen a notable increase, with online bookings rising to about 94 percent. Delivery Authentication Code coverage has also expanded significantly to around 76 percent, helping prevent diversion and ensuring transparency in distribution.
State Governments and Union Territories have been actively involved in regulating supply and preventing malpractices. Several States including Bihar, Delhi, Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Karnataka, Manipur, Rajasthan and Uttarakhand have issued orders for allocation of non domestic LPG in accordance with central guidelines. Commercial LPG supply has also been initiated in multiple regions with State support.
To ease pressure on LPG demand, the Government has made alternative fuels available. An additional allocation of 48000 kilolitres of kerosene has been provided to States and Union Territories, with instructions to identify appropriate distribution points. States such as Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat and Karnataka have issued allocation orders in this regard.
In parallel, enforcement action against hoarding and black marketing has been intensified under the Essential Commodities Act and the LPG Control Order. More than 12000 raids have been conducted across the country, leading to the seizure of over 15000 LPG cylinders.
Major enforcement operations have been reported in Delhi, Goa, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala and Madhya Pradesh. Public sector oil marketing companies have also conducted over 2500 surprise inspections at retail outlets and LPG distributorships to ensure compliance and prevent irregularities.
Twenty seven States and Union Territories have established control rooms to monitor the supply of essential commodities and conduct regular media briefings. District level monitoring committees have been set up in several States including Rajasthan, Telangana, Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Maharashtra, Odisha and Tamil Nadu, while others have been urged to establish similar mechanisms.
The Government has reiterated that strict action will continue against hoarding and black marketing, and has directed State authorities to maintain vigilance and conduct regular inspections.
Citizens have been advised to avoid panic bookings and use digital platforms such as IVRS, SMS, WhatsApp, mobile applications and e commerce services for LPG cylinder bookings. The Government has also encouraged consumers to adopt energy efficient practices and consider alternate fuels such as PNG and electric or induction cooktops wherever feasible.
On the maritime front, the Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways confirmed that all Indian seafarers in the region remain safe, with no incidents reported in the past 24 hours. Currently, 22 Indian flagged vessels with 611 seafarers are operating in the western Persian Gulf region.
The Directorate General of Shipping continues to monitor the situation through its control room, which has handled over 3180 calls and 5875 emails from seafarers, their families and maritime stakeholders. More than 447 Indian seafarers have been safely repatriated so far, including 161 in the past 24 hours.
Two key LPG carriers have successfully reached Indian ports. The vessel Shivalik has arrived at Mundra Port and discharge operations are underway, while Nanda Devi reached Kandla port early this morning and has commenced discharge for onward transfer to the eastern coast including Ennore and Haldia.
Pre arrival documentation and clearances were completed in advance to ensure priority berthing and expedited cargo handling. Ports across the country are actively managing vessel movements and cargo operations, with additional support measures including allocation of approximately 90000 square metres of storage space by V O Chidambaranar Port Authority for transshipment containers.
Reports of container congestion outside Jawaharlal Nehru Port Authority have been clarified as incorrect. Containers are currently located within designated logistics facilities as part of normal operations. Congestion levels at the port are easing, with perishable container volumes reducing from about 2000 to around 1000.
Shipping operations are gradually stabilising, with vessels continuing to move to key regional ports such as Salalah and Khor Fakkan. The number of stranded containers is expected to decline further to around 600 within the next 24 to 48 hours.
On the international front, the Ministry of External Affairs stated that the safety and well being of Indian nationals in West Asia and the Gulf region remain a top priority. A dedicated control room continues to operate, though the volume of distress calls has declined significantly, with 22 calls and 6 emails handled yesterday.
Indian Missions across the region are functioning round the clock, maintaining contact with community organisations, issuing advisories and providing assistance including visa facilitation, logistics support and evacuation coordination.
Over 700 Indian nationals have crossed from Iran into neighbouring countries including Armenia and Azerbaijan. Among them, around 600 have entered Armenia. Of the 284 Indian pilgrims who had crossed into Armenia, approximately 130 are expected to arrive in Delhi today.
Since February 28, around 244000 passengers have returned to India from the region through coordinated evacuation and travel arrangements.
Air travel operations are gradually stabilising across parts of the region. In the United Arab Emirates, airspace was temporarily closed earlier but has since reopened, with around 70 flights expected to operate to India today from various airports.
Flights continue to operate from Saudi Arabia and Oman, while Qatar airspace remains partially open with limited flights. Kuwait airspace remains closed, with special flights being arranged from Saudi Arabia to facilitate travel.
For Indian nationals in Bahrain and Iraq, transit through Saudi Arabia is being facilitated. Missions are also assisting stranded seafarers, including 15 crew members currently in Basra awaiting repatriation.
The Government confirmed that five Indian nationals have lost their lives in recent incidents in the region, while one individual remains missing. The mortal remains of two individuals from Oman have been repatriated to their families in Jaipur. Authorities are coordinating with local governments for the return of remaining mortal remains and tracing of the missing individual.
Officials reiterated that the Government remains vigilant and is maintaining close coordination among ministries, State Governments and international partners to ensure energy security, protect Indian nationals and sustain economic and logistical stability amid the evolving geopolitical situation.
