The Government of India makes a statement on Friday asserting that there is no shortage of petrol or diesel in the country; however, the closure of the Strait of Hormuz still remains a matter of concern regarding LPG supplies. The government noted that, due to the conflict involving Iran, the number of gas bookings in the country has surged by approximately 20 Lakh.
Speaking on behalf of the government, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing and Oil Refineries) at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, explained that prior to the conflict, an average of 55.7 Lakh LPG cylinders were booked daily, however currently, approximately 75.7 Lakh gas bookings are being recorded per day. The government observed that amidst the prevailing atmosphere of conflict, there has been a sudden spike in LPG cylinder bookings and this surge is attributed to unnecessary panic among the public.
The Ministry of Petroleum noted that LPG is indeed a cause for concern because the majority of the country's LPG supply is imported via the Strait of Hormuz, which is currently closed, however, no reports of any of 25,000 LPG distributors running out of stock have been received thus far.
The Ministry further added that the Centre has allocated an additional 48,000 kiloliters of kerosene to the states and adds that the states have been urged to designate specific locations within their districts for the distribution of this kerosene. Furthermore, to ensure the availability of alternative fuel options, Coal India has been directed to supply coal to small, medium, and other categories of consumers.
The government has reiterated that there is no need for panic-booking of LPG, as no instance of any LPG dealer running out of stock has been reported. Under the Natural Gas Order issued on March 9, 2026, priority status has been accorded to several sectors. In accordance with that same order, the supply of domestic PNG (Piped Natural Gas) and CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) continues uninterrupted, without any curtailment.
The Ministry of Petroleum concluded by stating that, given the current situation, there is absolutely no need for the public to panic. Furthermore, the Government of India is making every possible effort to resolve the difficulties currently being faced by commercial consumers in major cities and hubs due to their reliance on LPG supplies.
According to the government, India possesses a crude oil refining capacity of 258 million metric tons. All refineries are currently operating at 100% capacity or higher. The refineries hold adequate reserves of crude oil, and moreover, supplies remain uninterrupted.
