The Government of India has assured citizens that adequate stocks of fuel and fertilisers are available across the country and urged the public not to resort to panic buying or booking of LPG cylinders amid evolving developments in West Asia.
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 shared updates during the fourth inter ministerial media briefing held at the National Media Centre. Earlier briefings on the situation were held on March 11, March 12 and March 13.
Officials said the government is closely monitoring the geopolitical situation in West Asia and coordinating across ministries to ensure uninterrupted supply of energy, maintain maritime trade operations and safeguard the welfare of Indian nationals in the region.
Fuel availability and LPG supply
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas informed that all refineries in the country are operating at high levels and maintaining adequate crude oil inventories. India is self sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel and does not require imports to meet domestic demand.
No instances of fuel shortages have been reported at retail outlets operated by oil marketing companies. Authorities urged citizens not to engage in panic buying as supplies of petrol and diesel are being maintained regularly.
However, officials noted a sharp increase in LPG bookings due to panic buying. Average daily bookings have risen from 55.7 lakh to 88.8 lakh in a single day.
To ensure stable supply, the government has increased domestic LPG production from refineries by about 31 percent. Commercial LPG cylinders have also been made available to state governments for priority distribution and are currently available in 29 states and union territories.
Officials said 84 percent of LPG bookings are currently being made through online platforms and urged consumers to continue using digital modes such as IVRS calls, SMS, WhatsApp and mobile applications of oil marketing companies for booking cylinders.
Citizens were advised to avoid unnecessary visits to LPG agencies and to book cylinders only according to their normal consumption cycle.
Measures to reduce pressure on LPG supply
Several additional steps have been taken to reduce pressure on LPG supplies. City Gas Distribution companies have been advised to promote new commercial PNG connections for hotels and restaurants in major cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Kanpur and Jaipur.
Industries, hotels and restaurants in the National Capital Region have been temporarily permitted to use biomass pellets in place of natural gas for one month. Where alternatives are not available, coal or kerosene may be used as temporary substitutes.
The government has also allocated an additional 48,000 kilolitres of kerosene to states and union territories to support essential supply requirements.
Booking intervals for LPG cylinders have been rationalised to ensure fair distribution, with a minimum gap of 25 days in urban areas and up to 45 days in rural areas.
Action against hoarding and black marketing
State governments and union territories are actively monitoring the supply situation and taking enforcement action against hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities including petrol, diesel and LPG.
Control rooms have been set up in 17 states and union territories to monitor supply and distribution.
Joint inspection teams in Maharashtra and Rajasthan conducted raids at multiple locations, while public sector oil marketing companies carried out around 1,300 inspections at LPG distributorships in one day.
In Uttar Pradesh, enforcement teams inspected 1,483 locations, registered 24 FIRs including four against LPG distributors and 20 against individuals, arrested six persons and initiated prosecution against 19 individuals.
Similar raids have also been conducted in Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Odisha and Karnataka to curb illegal storage and diversion of LPG cylinders.
Chief Ministers of Haryana and Goa have held review meetings with officials and oil companies to assess the LPG supply situation. The Chief Secretary of Telangana and the Civil Supplies Department of Andhra Pradesh have also conducted review meetings with oil marketing companies.
Maritime operations and shipping
The Ministry of Ports Shipping and Waterways said maritime operations remain stable despite tensions in the Persian Gulf region.
Two Indian flagged LPG carriers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, carrying about 92,712 metric tonnes of LPG crossed the Strait of Hormuz and are scheduled to reach Mundra Port and Kandla Port on March 16 and March 17 respectively.
Currently, 22 Indian flagged vessels with 611 seafarers remain in the Persian Gulf region. DG Shipping is monitoring the situation closely in coordination with shipping companies, maritime agencies and Indian missions.
In the past 24 hours, the DG Shipping control room handled 312 calls and 460 emails from seafarers and maritime stakeholders. Over the last fifteen days, it has responded to more than 2,700 calls and nearly 4,900 emails.
A quick response team is operating round the clock to assist seafarers and their families. So far, concerns of around 1,300 seafarers and family members have been addressed and 253 seafarers have been repatriated from the region.
Ports across India have been directed to prioritise berthing of LPG vessels to ensure energy supplies. In recent days, six LPG vessels have been received at major ports.
Authorities are also providing relief measures such as concessions in anchorage, berth hire and storage charges and have designated safe anchorage zones for vessels unable to transit through the Gulf region.
Safety of Indian nationals
The Ministry of External Affairs said India continues to engage with countries in West Asia and major international partners to promote de escalation and ensure safe maritime transit of energy and goods.
India is in regular diplomatic contact with Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran, the United States and Israel.
Since February 28, around 1.72 lakh passengers have returned to India from the region. Flights from Oman, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar continue to operate, while Indian nationals in Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq are being assisted with visa extensions, transit visas and onward travel arrangements.
In a recent incident in Sohar city in Oman, two Indian nationals lost their lives and ten were injured. The Indian mission is assisting the affected families and coordinating with local authorities for repatriation of the mortal remains.
In earlier incidents linked to the conflict, five Indian nationals have died and one remains missing. Missions in Oman, Iraq and the United Arab Emirates are coordinating with local authorities to trace the missing person and facilitate repatriation of remains.
Following an attack on the vessel Safesea Vishnu off the coast of Iraq on March 11, fifteen Indian crew members were safely evacuated and are currently in Basra. Efforts are underway to arrange their early return to India.
Fertiliser availability and BRICS consultations
Officials also confirmed that India has more than adequate fertiliser stocks for the upcoming Kharif 2026 season. Urea stocks are higher than last year, while DAP stocks are nearly double and NPK stocks are also significantly higher.
Domestic urea production is expected to exceed consumption as the Rabi season concludes, and additional global supply contracts have already been placed.
Discussions are also underway within BRICS through the Sherpa channel to evolve a common position on the West Asia situation. India is facilitating consultations as the current BRICS Chair and remains in contact with partners including Russia.
Public advisory
The government urged citizens to remain calm and avoid panic booking of LPG cylinders. Consumers were advised to rely only on verified information and official government sources, as misinformation including AI generated content is being circulated on social media.
Officials reiterated that the government is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating across ministries to ensure uninterrupted energy supply, stable maritime operations and the safety of Indian citizens.
