Government assures adequate fuel supplies, monitors Indians in West Asia amid Strait of Hormuz closure

New Delhi, March 16. The Government has said it is taking coordinated measures to ensure uninterrupted energy supplies, safeguard maritime operations and assist Indian nationals in West Asia amid disruptions triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

At the latest inter-ministerial media briefing held at the National Media Centre on March 16, officials from the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and External Affairs outlined steps being taken to manage energy supplies, protect Indian seafarers and support Indian citizens in the region.

Adequate fuel stocks, no shortage expected

Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said India’s refineries are operating at high capacity and maintaining sufficient crude oil inventories. Officials emphasised that the country remains self-sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel and does not require imports to meet domestic demand.

Oil marketing companies have reported no fuel shortages at retail outlets, with supplies of petrol and diesel continuing uninterrupted across the country. Citizens have been urged not to engage in panic buying, as adequate stocks remain available.

On the natural gas front, supplies to priority sectors such as piped natural gas (PNG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) have been maintained at 100 percent, while industrial and commercial supplies are currently being regulated at about 80 percent.

To ease pressure on liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) demand, commercial establishments in urban areas – including hotels, restaurants, hospitals and hostels – have been encouraged to switch to PNG connections through authorised city gas distribution companies. Several companies have also announced incentives to promote PNG adoption.

LPG supply monitored closely

Sharma said there have been no supply disruptions at LPG distributorships. Digital bookings for LPG cylinders have increased significantly – from about 84 percent before the crisis to roughly 90 percent now – while the coverage of the Delivery Authentication Code system has expanded from 53 percent to around 72 percent to curb diversion of cylinders.

The government has also increased domestic LPG production from refineries by about 36 percent and revised refill booking intervals to ensure equitable distribution – 25 days in urban areas and up to 45 days in rural regions.

Under a recent amendment to the LPG Control Order issued on March 14, consumers who already have PNG connections will be required to surrender their domestic LPG connections and will not be eligible for new ones. In addition, an extra 48,000 kilolitres of kerosene have been allocated to states and union territories to help ease demand pressures.

State governments have been conducting enforcement drives against hoarding and black marketing. Raids have been carried out in several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh, while officials from public sector oil marketing companies have conducted surprise inspections at more than 1,100 fuel stations and LPG distributorships.

Authorities have also urged citizens to avoid panic bookings and use digital platforms such as IVRS, SMS, WhatsApp and mobile applications for LPG cylinder bookings.

Maritime operations continue despite regional tensions

Providing an update on maritime activity in the Persian Gulf, Rajesh Kumar Sinha, Special Secretary in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, said all Indian seafarers in the region remain safe and no incidents involving Indian crew members were reported in the past 24 hours.

Currently, 22 Indian-flagged vessels carrying 611 seafarers are operating west of the Persian Gulf. The Directorate General of Shipping is monitoring the situation closely in coordination with shipowners, recruitment agencies and Indian missions abroad.

Two Indian-flagged LPG carriers that crossed the Strait of Hormuz on March 14 are scheduled to reach India shortly. One vessel, Shivalik, is expected to berth at Mundra Port later on Monday, while another, Nanda Devi, is likely to arrive early Tuesday.

Another Indian vessel carrying Murban crude oil from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also enroute to India.

The Directorate General of Shipping’s emergency control room has handled more than 3,000 calls and nearly 5,500 emails from seafarers, their families and maritime stakeholders since it was activated. So far, 286 Indian seafarers have been repatriated from the Gulf region, including 33 over the past 48 hours.

Major ports across India are monitoring cargo operations closely and offering concessions such as rebates on storage and handling charges to ease disruptions to trade.

Evacuation assistance for Indians in Iran

Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs said the safety of Indian nationals in the region remains a top priority. More than 550 Indians in Iran have crossed into Armenia through land borders with assistance from the Indian Embassy in Tehran, while over 90 have entered Azerbaijan.

The Indian Embassy in Tehran remains operational and has relocated several Indian students from areas outside the capital to safer locations within the country.

Since February 28, approximately 2.2 lakh passengers have returned to India from the West Asia and Gulf region as flight operations gradually resume across several countries.

Flights have restarted from Dubai International Airport after a temporary suspension earlier in the day, while limited services are also operating from airports in Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. More than 45 flights to Indian destinations are expected to operate on Monday.

The ministry added that airspace in some countries, including Kuwait, remains closed, while transit arrangements through Saudi Arabia are being facilitated for Indian nationals stranded in Bahrain and Iraq.

The government said it continues to monitor developments in West Asia and maintain close coordination among ministries, Indian missions and other stakeholders to safeguard national interests and ensure preparedness across critical sectors.