India reassures citizens amid Gulf tensions: No dry-out of petrol pumps, LPG supply fully stable

India fuel supply amid West Asia tensions
India’s fuel and LPG supply stable despite West Asia conflict (Image via PIB)

Senior officials from several central ministries on Monday, 11th May, held a detailed inter-ministerial briefing in New Delhi to share updates on the government’s response to the ongoing conflict and tensions in West Asia. Representatives from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, the Ministry of External Affairs, the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and the Department of Fertilisers addressed the media and explained the steps being taken to protect India’s energy security, ensure smooth supply chains and assist Indian citizens living in the Gulf region.

PM Modi urged the public to reduce unnecessary fuel consumption

Speaking during the briefing, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said that while international energy markets are witnessing disruptions and price volatility, India’s fuel supply situation remains stable and under control.

“There have been disruptions in energy supply, and significant price volatility is being observed in the international market. However, the Government of India has taken several effective steps to ensure that fuel supply is maintained with minimum inconvenience to common consumers,” she said.

Sharma said India’s crude oil inventory remains stable and refineries across the country are operating at optimal levels. She also assured that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel or LPG anywhere in the country.

“There is no dry-out reported at any retail outlet. LPG distributorships are also functioning smoothly, with no shortages reported,” she said.

Giving details, Sharma said that in the last three days alone, 1.14 crore LPG cylinders were delivered against 1.26 crore bookings. More than 17,000 tonnes of commercial LPG and over 762 tonnes of auto LPG were also sold during the same period.

She added that more than 1.4 lakh small 5-kg LPG cylinders had been sold recently and oil marketing companies had organised around 93 special camps where over 2,100 cylinders were distributed.

Sharma also spoke about progress in the natural gas sector. According to her, 6.7 lakh PNG connections have already been gasified, while infrastructure has been created for another 2.68 lakh connections. More than 7.29 lakh new consumers have also registered for PNG services.

“In the petrochemical segment, sales from May 1 onwards include 4,600 tonnes of propylene and 1,700 tonnes of butyl acrylate,” she added.

The official also said that strict enforcement action is being carried out to prevent irregularities. “In the last three days alone, around 1,500 raids and inspections have been conducted. Penalties have been imposed on 382 distributors while 76 distributors have been suspended,” Sharma said.

Appealing to citizens, she urged people to reduce unnecessary fuel consumption. “As requested by Prime Minister Modi, use metro and public transport, opt for carpooling, prefer railways for freight transport and increase the use of electric vehicles wherever feasible,” she said.

MEA says Indian nationals in the Gulf region are being closely monitored

After the Petroleum Ministry briefing, Aseem R Mahajan, Additional Secretary (Gulf) in the Ministry of External Affairs, shared details about the government’s efforts to ensure the safety of Indians living in West Asia.

He said the MEA is continuously monitoring developments in the Gulf region and remains in close touch with Indian embassies, local authorities and state governments in India.

“The Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor developments in the Gulf and West Asia region. Our efforts are focused on ensuring the safety and welfare of the large Indian community in the region,” Mahajan said.

According to him, a dedicated control room has been activated in the ministry to respond to queries from Indian citizens and their families. Embassies and consulates across the region are also operating 24-hour helplines.

“Our missions are proactively assisting Indian nationals and are also in close contact with local governments,” he said.

“The welfare of Indian seafarers in the region is of high priority for us,” he said, adding that missions are extending all possible consular support and helping those who wish to return to India.

Shipping Ministry says Indian seafarers are safe

Opesh Kumar Sharma, Director in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said all Indian seafarers in the region are currently safe and maritime operations continue without disruption.

“We continue to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, our missions abroad and all maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations,” he said.

According to Sharma, no incident involving Indian-flagged merchant vessels or Indian seafarers on foreign ships has been reported in the past three days.

He said the Directorate General of Shipping control room has handled around 8,889 calls and over 19,758 emails since it was activated. In the last 72 hours alone, 152 calls and 444 emails were received.

The ministry has also helped in the safe return of over 396 seafarers from Gulf countries so far, including 77 in the last three days.

Sharma added that port operations across India remain completely normal, and no congestion has been reported at any major port.

Fertiliser stocks remain comfortable ahead of the Kharif season

Meanwhile, Aparna S Sharma, Additional Secretary in the Department of Fertilisers, said fertiliser stocks in the country are currently at comfortable levels ahead of the Kharif 2026 season.

She said the current stock position is more than 51%, much higher than the normal requirement level of around 33%.

“The domestic fertiliser stock is comfortable, and the MRP of major fertilisers remains largely unchanged,” she said.

Written by OpIndia Staff
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