India has 60 days of crude reserves, one month of LPG supply secured: Govt assures no shortage

New Delhi — The Indian government on Thursday assured that the country’s petroleum and LPG supply situation remains fully secure, urging citizens not to fall for what it described as a “mischievous and coordinated misinformation campaign” aimed at creating panic.

According to the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, India currently has a total reserve capacity of 74 days, with around 60 days of actual stock cover available, including crude oil, petroleum products, and strategic cavern storage. The ministry emphasised that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG anywhere in the country.

It also stated that crude procurement for the next two months has already been secured, ensuring uninterrupted supply even amid ongoing tensions in the Middle East. All retail fuel outlets across India are adequately stocked, and any panic buying reported at a few locations was driven by misinformation circulating on social media.

Despite concerns related to the Strait of Hormuz, India is receiving crude oil from more than 41 global suppliers. The ministry said every refinery in the country is operating at over 100 per cent utilisation, with no supply gap anticipated.

The government also confirmed that LPG availability remains stable. Domestic refinery production has been ramped up by 40 per cent, raising daily output to about 50 TMT against a national requirement of around 80 TMT. The remaining requirement is being met through imports, with about 800 TMT of assured LPG cargo already en route from countries including the United States, Russia, and Australia.

Officials said approximately one full month of LPG supply has been firmly arranged, with additional procurement being finalised continuously. Oil companies are currently delivering over 50 lakh LPG cylinders daily, while commercial cylinder allocations have been increased to prevent hoarding and black marketing.

The ministry further highlighted that piped natural gas (PNG) expansion is part of a long-term energy strategy and not due to any shortage of LPG. India currently produces 92 MMSCMD of natural gas against a daily demand of 191 MMSCMD, reducing dependence on imports.

Reiterating its assurance, the government urged citizens to rely only on official communication regarding fuel and gas availability and avoid spreading or believing unverified information.

With inputs from IANS