India’s crude supply secure through diversified procurement despite West Asia crisis: Govt

India’s crude oil supply remains secure despite disruptions to global energy routes caused by the ongoing West Asia crisis, a senior government official said on Wednesday, highlighting the country’s diversified sourcing strategy and emergency measures to stabilise fuel availability.

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said India’s current crude procurement volumes exceed the quantity that would normally arrive via the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.

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“India’s crude supply remains secure. Our daily consumption is about 55 lakh barrels. Through diversified procurement, the volumes we have secured today exceed what would normally have arrived through the Strait of Hormuz during this period,” Sharma said at an inter-ministerial press briefing.

India imports crude oil from around 40 countries, enabling it to mitigate risks arising from geopolitical tensions affecting key shipping routes. Domestic refineries are operating at full capacity and in some cases even above capacity to ensure uninterrupted availability of petroleum products across the country, she added.

The government also announced measures to manage potential supply constraints in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG). Sharma said two LNG cargoes procured from new sources are currently en route to India.

“Amid supply pressures linked to the West Asia tensions, the government has absorbed a significant portion of the rise in LPG costs to shield consumers from higher prices. Currently, LPG supplies are being prioritised for domestic households, while non-domestic supplies are being directed towards essential sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions,” she said.

India imports around 60 per cent of its LPG requirement, with nearly 90 per cent of those imports passing through the Strait of Hormuz.

“To strengthen domestic availability, the government has directed refining and petrochemical units to optimise LPG production. As a result, domestic LPG output has increased by about 25 per cent, with the additional supply primarily directed towards household consumers to ensure uninterrupted cooking gas availability,” she added.

Gas supplies are also being prioritised for critical sectors, including fertiliser manufacturing, tea production and gas grid operations.

As a temporary demand-management measure, the minimum interval between LPG cylinder bookings has been increased from 21 days to 25 days. Sharma urged consumers not to panic or rush to book cylinders, assuring that supplies remain adequate.