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India's Petroleum Minister Announces 'Energy Security Secured, LPG Production Up 28%'
India's Energy Security Status and Crude Oil Supply Diversification
Hardeep Singh Puri, India's Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas, recently announced India's energy security status at a Lok Sabha session of the Indian Parliament, despite strong protests and disruptions from opposition parties. The Minister emphasized that India's current crude oil supply is secure, with quantities exceeding previous supplies via the Strait of Hormuz. Prior to the crisis, approximately 45% of India's crude oil imports transited through the Strait of Hormuz. However, thanks to the diplomatic efforts of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, procurement from non-Hormuz regions has increased to about 70% of total imports. India currently imports crude oil from 40 countries, and its refineries are operating at over 100% capacity, ensuring no shortage of major fuels such as petrol and diesel.
Natural Gas and LPG Supply Stabilization Measures
Minister Hardeep Singh Puri also stated that natural gas supply is stable and exceeds immediate requirements. Approximately 90 million standard cubic meters of natural gas are produced domestically each day, and the shortfall of 30 million standard cubic meters previously imported from the Gulf region is being managed through emergency priority allocations. Furthermore, for LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas), India has diversified its supply chain by moving away from high past reliance on Gulf nations and sourcing from various countries including the United States, Norway, Canada, and Russia. Notably, LPG production from refineries has increased by 28% over the past five days. The government is also implementing demand management measures, such as expanding delivery verification through OTP to prevent illegal diversion, and introducing minimum booking periods in urban and rural areas.
Consumer Price Protection and Emphasis on Cooperative Federalism
The government is protecting LPG consumer prices from international market fluctuations. Despite an increase in contractual prices with Saudi Arabia, India maintains an affordable price of 630 rupees per cylinder for PMUY (Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana) beneficiaries. The government subsidizes 74 rupees out of an adjusted price of 134 rupees per cylinder, ensuring that the actual additional cost for beneficiary households is less than 85 paisa per day. Minister Hardeep Singh Puri emphasized 'cooperative federalism' through close collaboration with state governments and relevant agencies, warning against the spread of rumors and fake news, and urging unity for national interest.
*Source: YouTube: WION (2026-03-12)*
