Updates on Key Sectors in View of Developments in West Asia

In view of the evolving situation in West Asia, the Government of India is closely monitoring developments and undertaking coordinated measures to ensure preparedness across critical sectors. The following update outlines the measures being undertaken in the areas of energy supply, maritime operations, and assistance to Indian nationals in the region:

Energy Supply and Fuel Availability

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas shared an update on the current fuel supply situation, outlining measures being undertaken to ensure uninterrupted availability of petroleum products and LPG amid the ongoing developments affecting the Strait of Hormuz. It was noted that:

Public Advisory and Citizen Awareness

• Citizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of petrol, diesel and LPG and rely only on official sources for information.
• LPG consumers are requested to use digital booking platforms and avoid visiting distributors.
• Citizens are encouraged to use alternate fuels such as PNG and electric or induction cooktops.
• All citizens are urged to conserve energy in their daily use during the current situation.

Government Preparedness and Supply Management Measures

• Despite the ongoing geopolitical situation, the Government has prioritised domestic LPG and PNG supply, along with high priority for hospitals and educational institutions.
• The Government has already implemented several rationalisation measures on both the supply and demand side, including enhancing refinery production, increasing the booking interval from 21 to 25 days in urban areas and up to 45 days in rural areas and prioritising sectors for supply.
• Alternate fuels such as kerosene and coal have been made available to ease pressure on LPG demand.
• The Ministry of Coal has directed Coal India and Singareni Collieries to supply additional coal to States for distribution to small and medium consumers.
• States have been advised to facilitate new PNG connections for domestic and commercial consumers.

Coordinated Efforts with States/UTs and Institutional Mechanisms

• State Governments are empowered under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and LPG Control Order, 2000 to monitor supply and act against hoarding and black marketing of petroleum products.
• The Government of India vide letters dated 27.03.2026 and 02.04.2026 have stressed the need for proactive public communication to reassure citizens regarding adequate fuel availability. Regular review meetings are being held with States/UTs. In this context, meetings were convened on 02.04.2026 (Chaired by Secretary, MoPNG) and on 06.04.2026 (Chaired by Secretary, MoPNG along with Secretaries of I&B and Consumer Affairs), wherein the following was emphasized:
  • To issue daily press briefings and issue regular public advisories.
  • To actively monitor and counter fake news / misinformation on social media.
  • To intensify daily enforcement drives by District admin and to continue raids and inspections in coordination with OMCs
  • To issue Commercial LPG allocation orders within their States/UTs
  • To issue SKO allocation orders for additional SKO allotted to the States/UTs.
  • To promote PNG adoptions and alternate fuels.
  • To prioritise LPG supply, especially for domestic needs, and adopt targeted distribution of 5 kg FTL cylinders to ensure supply stability.
• All States/UTs have established control rooms and district monitoring committees to curb hoarding and black marketing.
• Currently, 24 States/UTs are issuing regular press briefings.

Enforcement and Monitoring Actions

• Enforcement actions continue across the country to curb hoarding and black marketing of LPG. On 11.04.2026, more than 2700 raids were conducted across the country.
• PSU Oil Marketing Companies have strengthened and continued surprise inspections and imposed penalties on 219 LPG distributorships and suspended 56 distributorships till now.

LPG Supply

Domestic LPG Supply Status:

• LPG supply continues to be affected by the prevailing geopolitical situation.
• No dry-outs have been reported at LPG distributorships.
• Online LPG bookings have increased to about 98% across the industry.
• Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) based deliveries have increased to around 93% to prevent diversion.
• Domestic LPG cylinder deliveries remain normal.
• On 11.04.2026, more than 52.3 Lakh domestic LPG cylinders were delivered.

Commercial LPG Supply and Allocation Measures:

• Total commercial LPG allocation has been increased to about 70% of pre-crisis levels, including 10% reform-linked allocation.
• The Government of India vide letter dated 06.04.2026 has conveyed that daily quantity of 5 Kg FTL cylinders in each State available for disbursal to migrant labourers is being doubled based on the average daily supply (Number of cylinders) to migrant labourers during 2^nd-3^rd March 2026 beyond the limit of 20% mentioned in letter dated 21.03.2026. These 5 Kg FTL cylinders will be at disposal of the State Government for supplying only to migrant labourers in their State with assistance of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
• PSU OMCs have organised around 3300 awareness camps for 5 Kg FTL Cylinders during last 8 days, wherein more than 35,800 - 5Kg FTL cylinders were also sold.
• On 11.04.2026, more than 1 lakh Kg FTL Cylinders were sold across the country against a daily average of 77000 in the month of Feb-26.
• Since 23 March 2026, more than 13 lakh 5-kg Free Trade LPG cylinders have been sold
• A three-member committee of Executive Directors from IOCL, HPCL and BPCL is coordinating with State authorities and industry bodies to plan commercial LPG distribution.
• A total of 1,20,898 MT (Equivalent to more than 63.6 Lakh of 19 Kg LPG Cylinders) of Commercial LPG has been sold since 14^th March 2026.
• On 11.04.2026, 7665 MT of Commercial LPG (Equivalent to more than 4 lakh- 19 Kg LPG cylinders) was sold.

Natural Gas Supply and PNG Expansion Initiatives

• Consumers have been prioritised with 100% supply to domestic PNG and CNG transport.
• Based on available inventory and scheduled LNG cargo arrivals, the overall gas allocation to fertilizer plants is being further enhanced by 5% to reach approximately 95% of their six-month average consumption, effective 09.04.2026.
• CGD entities have been advised to prioritise PNG connections for commercial establishments such as hotels, restaurants and canteens, to address concerns regarding the availability of commercial LPG.
• CGD companies including IGL, MGL, GAIL Gas and BPCL are offering incentives for domestic and commercial PNG connections.
• States/UTs and Central Ministries have been requested to expedite approvals required for expansion of CGD networks.
• The Government of India vide letter dated 18.03.2026 has offered all States/UTs additional 10% allocation of commercial LPG to States provided they can help in long term transition from LPG to PNG.
• 21 States/UTs are already receiving additional commercial LPG allocation linked to PNG expansion reforms.
• The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has adopted an Accelerated Approval Framework for CGD infrastructure for three months to process applications on priority.
• The Government of India vide Gazette dated 24.03.2026 has notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Order, 2026 under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The Order provides a streamlined and time-bound framework for laying and expanding pipelines across the country, addressing delays in approvals and access to land, and enabling faster development of natural gas infrastructure, including in residential areas. It is expected to accelerate PNG network growth, enhance last-mile connectivity, and support the transition to cleaner fuels, thereby strengthening energy security and advancing India's gas-based economy.
• PNGRB has extended the National PNG Drive 2.0 till 30 June 2026 to sustain momentum in PNG expansion.
• To encourage a cleaner, more secure and self-reliant energy future, the Government of India has developed a model draft State CBG Policy. The model policy is intended to serve as a comprehensive flexible guiding framework to enable States to create their own investor-friendly and implementation-oriented ecosystem for CBG development. Those States which opt for this, will be prioritized for the next tranche of additional allocation of commercial LPG.
• Since March 2026, more than 4.24 lakh PNG connections have been gasified. Further, more than 4.66 lakh customers have registered for new connections.
• Till 11.04.26, more than 30,000 PNG consumers have surrendered their LPG connections via MYPNGD.in website.

Crude Position and Refinery Operations

• All refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, while sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are being maintained.
• Domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased to support domestic consumption.
• The Government of India vide order dated 01.04.2026 has permitted Refining companies including Petrochemical Complexes in India to make available certain minimum quantities of C3 & C4 streams for critical sectors like Department of Pharmaceuticals, Department of Food & Public Distribution, Department of Chemicals & Petro Chemicals etc. Provision for 800 MT/day has been made for companies related to above departments.

Retail Fuel Availability and pricing Measures

• Retail outlets across the country are operating normally.
• The Middle East crisis has led to an abnormal increase in crude prices; however, to protect consumers, the Government of India has reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre.
• Govt. of India vide Gazette notification dated 11.04.2026 has increased the export levy on diesel to Rs. 55.50 per litre and on ATF to Rs. 42 per litre, to ensure availability of these products in the domestic market.

• Retail prices of petrol and diesel remain unchanged with no increase at retail outlets.

Kerosene Availability and Distribution Measures

• An additional allocation of 48,000 KL of kerosene has been provided to States/UTs over and above regular allocation.
• 18 States/UTs have issued SKO allocation orders, while Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh have indicated no requirement.

Maritime Safety and Shipping Operations

Necessary measures have been put in place to safeguard Indian vessels and seafarers operating in the region, by the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways. The Ministry stated that:

• All Indian seafarers in the region are safe and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours.
• The Shipping Control Room remains operational 24x7 and has handled 6,053 calls and more than 12,787 emails since activation. In the past 24 hours, 80 calls and 112 emails have been received.
• The Ministry, through the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), has facilitated the safe repatriation of more than 2,084 Indian seafarers so far, including 75 in the last 24 hours from various locations across the Gulf region.
• Port operations across India remain normal, with no congestion reported.
• The Ministry continues to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions, and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare and uninterrupted maritime operations.

Safety of Indian Nationals in the Region

Across the region, Indian Missions and Posts remain in close contact with the Indian community, while continuing to provide assistance and issue necessary advisories for their safety and well-being. As informed by Ministry of External Affairs:

• The Government continues to closely monitor developments in the Gulf and West Asia region.
• Ministry of External Affairs is in regular contact with State Governments and Union Territories for better sharing of information and coordination.
• Efforts remain focused on ensuring the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community in the region.
• Indian Missions and Posts continue to operate round-the-clock helplines and are proactively assisting Indian nationals.
• Updated advisories are being issued regularly, including information on local government guidelines, flight and travel situations and consular services.
• Our Missions remain actively engaged with Indian community associations, professional groups, Indian companies and other stakeholders in the region.
• Flights continue to operate from countries where airspace remains open. Since 28 February, around 8,97,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India.
• In the UAE, airlines continue to operate limited non-scheduled commercial flights between the UAE and India based on operational and safety considerations, with around 95 flights expected today.
• Flights continue to operate from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to destinations in India.
• With Qatar airspace partially open, Qatar Airways is expected to operate around 8-10 flights to India today.
• Kuwait airspace remains closed. Jazeera Airways of Kuwait and Kuwait Airways are operating non-scheduled commercial flights from Dammam Airport in Saudi Arabia to India. Travel of Indian nationals from Kuwait continues to be facilitated through Saudi Arabia.
• Bahrain airspace is open. Gulf Air is expected to begin limited flight operations from Bahrain to India soon and is currently operating non-scheduled flights from Dammam Airport in Saudi Arabia to India. Travel of Indian nationals from Bahrain continues to be facilitated through Saudi Arabia to India.
• Iran airspace remains closed. We continue to facilitate the travel of Indian nationals from Iran, through Armenia and Azerbaijan to India.

• Israeli airspace remains closed. Travel of Indian nationals continue to be facilitated through Jordan and Egypt to India.
• Iraq airspace is open with restricted flight operations. Travel of Indian nationals continue to be facilitated through Jordan and Saudi Arabia to India.

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TM