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Informist, Saturday, Mar. 14, 2026

 

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--Govt: No dry out at any fuel retail outlet or LPG distributor
--CONTEXT: Comments at inter-ministerial briefing on West Asia developments 
--Govt: Major ports providing priority berthing to LPG carrying vessels
--Govt:To keep coordinating with Gulf nations for safe passage of our vessels 
--Govt: Two Indian nationals killed, 10 injured in an incident in Oman Fri 
--Govt: Aim has been to prioritise domestic LPG customers 
--Govt: Urge commercial LPG users to shift to PNG wherever possible 
--Govt:Out of 22 vessels stranded in Gulf region 6 LPG carriers, 1 LNG vessel 
--Govt: Out of our 22 vessels stranded in Gulf, 4 are crude oil carriers 
--Govt: All partners have assured uninterrupted supply of fertilisers 
--Govt: India has more than adequate stocks of fertlisers for kharif 2026 

 

MUMBAI – The government on Saturday said while LPG availability remains a matter of concern amid the ongoing military conflict in West Asia, no dry-outs have been reported yet by any fuel retail outlet or liquefied petroleum gas distributor in the country. Commercial LPG cylinder distribution has begun in most states and union territories, Sujata Sharma, joint secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, said.  

 

Online booking for LPG cylinders currently stands at about 84%, Sharma said. The government reiterated that domestic consumers with access to city gas distribution centres should shift to piped natural gas, and further re-emphasised on not resorting to panic-booking of LPG cylinders. Daily LPG bookings have increased to an average of around 8.9 million from 5.6 million on Friday on account of panic buying, the government said in a release post the briefing. GAIL India Ltd. has advised city gas distributors to help with the piped natural gas connections across cities. 

 

The government's aim has been to prioritise domestic customers of LPG, which remains the primary cooking fuel for millions of households, a senior official said at the briefing. The government has also identified educational institutions and hospitals for prioritising LPG supply within the industrial or commercial sectors.

 

Earlier in the day, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said in a post on X that petrol and diesel are adequately available at retail outlets across the country. Further, it advised consumers not to take or store fuel in loose or inappropriate containers, as it poses serious safety risks. Retail outlets have been instructed to strictly follow safety guidelines while dispensing fuel, and any violation will invite strict action, it added.

 

The government has also asked oil marketing companies to dispatch a second cylinder for household use after 25 days of booking, instead of 21 days earlier. This move is aimed at stabilising and pacing out consumption, but over the last two days, panic-booking has triggered nation-wide disruption. The government has issued a 'delivery authentication system' which will help with systemic booking, and prevent the risk of black marketing. The Centre is also in touch with state governments to prevent black-marketing of LPG cylinders.

Due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, about 22 vessels are stranded in the Gulf region. Of the 22, six are LPG carriers, one is a liquefied natural gas vessel, and four are crude oil carriers. Two Indian vessels carrying LPG--Shivalik and Nandadevi--have crossed the Strait of Hormuz and will reach Mundra and Kandla ports on Monday and Tuesday, respectively. Both the ships are carrying over 46,000 tonnes of LPG each. The government will keep coordinating with Gulf nations for safe passage of Indian vessels, an official said.

 

Major ports are providing priority berthing to LPG carrying vessels to ensure steady energy supplies, government officials said during the briefing. The government has urged key ports to provide concessions in anchorage, berth hire and storage charges to support exporters amid the ongoing crisis.

 

A government official at the briefing said all partners have assured uninterrupted supply of fertilisers. Moreover, India has more than adequate stocks of fertilisers for kharif 2026, the official said. Urea stocks are higher than last year, while di-ammonium phosphate stocks are nearly double, the government said. Nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus inventories are also significantly higher than last year. 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 March end, it said. 

 

On the attack in Oman on Friday, Aseem R. Mahajan, additional secretary (Gulf) at the Ministry of External Affairs, said two Indian nationals were killed in the incident at Sohar city. He said a total of 11 people were injured in the attack, including 10 Indians. Five of the injured have already been discharged from the hospital, while the remaining five are receiving treatment. The embassy is coordinating with Omani authorities for the early return of the mortal remains of the deceased Indians, Mahajan said.  End

 

Reported by Taniva Singha Roy

Edited by Tanima Banerjee

 

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