Petroleum Ministry Briefing Begins - What Is In It For You?

The Centre is holding an inter-ministerial briefing on the evolving situation in West Asia, amid growing concerns over its possible impact on India's fuel supplies, trade routes and economy. Senior officers from the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Chemicals and Fertilisers, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, External Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting will address the media.The high-level briefing comes shortly after Defence Minister Rajnath Singh chaired a meeting of the Informal Empowered Group of Ministers (IGoM), which has been tasked with closely monitoring developments in the region and assessing their implications for India.The government is expected to outline contingency measures to ensure uninterrupted fuel supplies, stable

shipping operations, and adequate fertiliser availability, while also addressing concerns over rising crude oil prices and disruptions in key maritime routes linked to West Asia, sources said.

PM Modi's appeal

The briefing comes a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to citizens to cut fuel consumption, avoid unnecessary foreign travel and reduce gold purchases has triggered sharp political reactions. On Sunday, PM Modi spoke about global disruptions impacting fuel supplies and encouraged citizens to use resources with restraint. Speaking at an event in Hyderabad, PM Modi said, "Today, the need of the hour is to use petrol, gas, diesel and similar resources with restraint. We must use imported petroleum products only as needed. This will not only save foreign exchange but also reduce the adverse impact of war."India imports nearly 90 per cent of its crude oil needs, making it highly vulnerable to global supply shocks.(With agency inputs)