New Delhi, March 17: India has begun sourcing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) from multiple global markets, including the United States, as part of efforts to diversify supplies amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East, the government said on Tuesday.
Speaking at an inter-ministerial briefing, Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing and Oil Refinery) at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said most LPG imports continue to come from the Gulf region, but oil marketing companies have started procuring supplies from alternative markets to strengthen energy security.
The government said there is no “dry out” at LPG distributors across the country, with refineries operating at full capacity and adequate stocks of petrol and diesel available. Commercial LPG distribution has also resumed in several states, while alternative fuels such as kerosene and coal have been activated to ease pressure on domestic LPG demand.
Authorities noted that panic-driven bookings are easing, with LPG refill requests declining from 89 lakh on March 13 to about 70 lakh. Consumers have been urged to avoid hoarding and refrain from purchasing cylinders through the black market.
Meanwhile, the Indian-flagged LPG tanker Nanda Devi arrived at Vadinar Port on Tuesday, becoming the second LPG carrier to reach India’s west coast this week after Shivalik docked at Mundra Port a day earlier. Both vessels transported key LPG supplies through the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz despite disruptions linked to the regional conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The arrival of these shipments comes amid coordinated diplomatic and logistical measures aimed at safeguarding merchant shipping and ensuring uninterrupted fuel supplies to the country.
