Inter-Ministerial Briefing on Recent Developments in West Asia
Citizens requested to avoid panic bookings of LPG Cylinders; Use of digital modes advised for booking to prevent crowding at LPG agencies
Government’s highest priority is to ensure uninterrupted Domestic LPG supply
Domestic LPG production increases by about 31%
State Governments/UTs taking steps to prevent hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities
Two Indian LPG carriers cross Strait of Hormuz; Scheduled to reach Mundra and Kandla on 16–17 March
Government is working with ports, shipping lines and logistics stakeholders to minimise operational impact on maritime trade
Citizens advised to remain cautious of misinformation and rely only on authentic sources and official Government handles
More than adequate fertiliser stocks available for upcoming Kharif 2026
Discussions ongoing within BRICS on a common position on West Asia SITUATION
DELHI: The Government of India today held the fourth inter-ministerial media interaction at the National Media Centre to provide updates on the situation arising from recent developments in West Asia. Similar briefings were earlier held on 11, 12 and 13 March 2026. Senior officials from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting shared updates on energy supply, maritime operations, the welfare of Indian nationals in the region and related communication measures.
Energy Supply and Fuel Availability
The officer from the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas briefed the media on the fuel supply situation in the country and the arrangements to ensure continued availability of petroleum products and LPG, in view of the prevailing geopolitical developments and the situation relating to the Strait of Hormuz. As per the Ministry:
Crude/Refineries: All refineries are currently operating at high levels and maintaining adequate crude oil inventories. Further, our country is self-sufficient in the production of petrol and diesel, and no imports of Petrol & diesel are required for meeting domestic demand.
Retail Outlets: No cases of fuel dry outs have been reported at any of the ROs by the Oil Marketing Companies. The Government advises the public not to resort to panic buying, as adequate stocks of petrol and diesel are available and supplies are being maintained regularly.
Natural Gas: Priority sectors have been protected for their supplies including 100% supply to PNG and CNG with no cuts. So, there is no need to panic. Supplies to industrial & commercial consumers are being regulated at 80%.
GAIL held VC with City Gas Distribution (CGD) entities authorized in major urban centres/cities e.g. Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jaipur etc. in the country and advised them for expediting and promoting new commercial PNG connections for hotels and restaurants so as to reduce pressure on LPG supplies.
LPG: Supply of LPG is still a concern in view of prevailing geopolitical situation.
No reported dry-out at LPG distributorships.There has been surge in the number of LPG bookings on account of panic buying. Daily bookings have increased from avg. 55.7 Lakh to 88.8 Lakh yesterday. Commercial Cylinders for consumers have been put at the disposal of State Government for priority distribution. Commercial LPG have been made available to consumers in 29 States/UTs. Online bookings of cylinders at present is 84%.
Meetings conducted by State Government
- The role of State/UT Governments is very important in monitoring supply situation of essential commodities including Petrol, Diesel and LPG.
- Hon’ble Chief Ministers of Haryana and Goa have conducted meetings with senior government officials and top officials of oil companies to review the demand and supply situation of LPG in the state.
- Telangana Chief Secretary reviewed the LPG stock position, supply, and distribution to consumers with representatives of oil marketing companies and officials of the Civil Supplies Department.
- Meeting was also conducted by Oil Companies with Andhra Pradesh’s Commissioner of Civil Supplies and appraised him of all the developments w.r.t LPG, PDS SKO and Commercial LPG.
- 17 States/UTs have setup control rooms to monitor situation and many States/UTs are doing press briefs also.
Enforcement action
- State Governments/UTs are playing a key role in preventing hoarding and black marketing of essential commodities including Petrol, Diesel and LPG.
- In Maharashtra and Rajasthan, joint inspection teams of the Food & Civil Supplies Department and Oil Marketing Companies conducted raids at multiple locations. PSU OMCs also carried out around 1300 inspections at LPG distributorships yesterday.
- In Uttar Pradesh, enforcement teams inspected 1,483 locations; 24 FIRs were registered (4 against LPG distributors and 20 against individuals), 6 persons were arrested and prosecution initiated against 19 individuals.
- Raids have also been conducted in several States including Andhra Pradesh (Tirupati), Bihar, Odisha and Karnataka to check hoarding and black marketing of LPG.
Other Government Measures
- ongoing to ensure safe and uninterrupted passage.
- Due to flight disruptions arising from the conflict, Iranian authorities arranged a chartered flight from Kochi last night to repatriate stranded Iranian nationals.
- India currently has more than adequate fertiliser stocks for the upcoming Kharif 2026 season. Urea stocks are higher than last year; DAP stocks are nearly double and NPK stocks are also significantly higher. Domestic urea production is expected to exceed consumption as the Rabi season concludes, while global tenders have already been placed and supplies are expected by the end of March.
- Discussions within BRICS on a common position are ongoing through the Sherpa channel due to the involvement of some member countries in the current situation. India continues to facilitate consultations as BRICS Chair and remains engaged with partners, including Russia, through high-level diplomatic contacts.
- Ministry of External Affairs is closely monitoring the evolving situation in West Asia and the Gulf region. The safety and well-being of Indian nationals remain the highest priority. A control room is operational for queries, and Missions are running 24×7 helplines, issuing advisories and assisting stranded Indians with visa, transit and logistical support.
- Since 28 February, around 172,000 passengers have returned to India from the region. Air connectivity is improving with flights from Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar. Indians in Bahrain, Kuwait and Iraq are being assisted with visa extensions, transit visas and onward travel.
- In an incident in Sohar, Oman yesterday, two Indian nationals lost their lives and ten were injured, none seriously. The Embassy is assisting the affected persons, coordinating with Omani authorities and facilitating early return of the mortal remains.
- Regarding the vessel Safesea Vishnu (11 March, off the coast of Iraq), 15 Indian crew members were safely evacuated and are currently in Basra. The Mission is assisting them and coordinating their early return to India, along with repatriation of the mortal remains of the deceased Indian national.
- In earlier incidents, five Indian nationals have lost their lives and one remains missing. Missions in Oman, Iraq and UAE are coordinating with local authorities to trace the missing person and facilitate repatriation of mortal remains.
Public Communication
The officer from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting spoke about the communication initiatives being undertaken to ensure dissemination of verified information to the public. The Ministry emphasised:
- Fake information, including AI-generated videos and misleading messages, is being circulated on some social media handles. Citizens are advised to remain cautious and rely only on authentic sources and official Government handles.
- LPG cylinder booking should be done through online or digital platforms such as mobile (SMS), portals or IVRS. Consumers are advised not to visit distributors physically.
- State Governments and district-level committees, in coordination with Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), are monitoring the situation and taking action against hoarding and black marketing.
- Citizens are requested not to indulge in panic booking and to book LPG cylinders only as per the normal refill cycle.
As informed during the briefing, the Government of India is closely monitoring developments in West Asia and maintaining coordination among the concerned Ministries and agencies. Necessary measures are in place to safeguard energy supplies, ensure the safety of Indian nationals, maintain maritime operations and keep essential commodities available across the country.
