New Delhi: The conflict in the Middle East escalated after Iran intensified its strikes on the Gulf Nations’ oil facilities, following Israeli attacks
on its Pars natural gas refinery and Bushehr Nuclear Plant. The development triggered an oil crisis in most of the countries of the region. Responding to the ongoing crisis, the Oil Ministry on Thursday said that India has diversified its energy imports. Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, revealed that 70 percent of India’s crude oil is coming from outside the Strait of Hormuz. Sharma also stated that some of the country’s LPG is coming from the United States. She further added that the US and Australia are India’s other big suppliers of the liquified natural gas (LNG). Expressing concerns over recent attacks by Iran on the Gulf nations' oil facilities, Sharma said that if energy infrastructure is hit in Qatar, then it would surely impact India’s LNG supply.
Meanwhile, Sharma said that the crude oil situation and refinery operations in the country are normal. “No dry-outs have been reported at retail pumps. All retail outlets are operating normally. Domestic PNG and CNG for transport supply are 100 per cent insured without any cuts. We have been appealing to our LPG commercial consumers for the past few days to shift from LPG to CNG wherever possible, and many companies have announced incentives in this regard,” she said. Iran Israel War Live Updates
“The GoI has promised to provide 10 per cent additional commercial LPG to all state governments that support the expansion of PNG networks,” the Oil Ministry official stated. She further added that due to initiatives by the government, approximately 125,000 new domestic, commercial, and industrial connections have been issued in the last two weeks, while over 5,600 LPG consumers have also switched to PNG in the last three days.
#WATCH | Delhi: Sujata Sharma, Joint Secretary (Marketing & Oil Refinery), Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas, says, "The crude oil situation and refinery operations are normal. No dry-outs have been reported at retail pumps. All retail outlets are operating normally. Domestic… pic.twitter.com/jNSmoYTdrC
— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2026
‘ LPG Situation Remains Concerning’:
During the press briefing, Sharma acknowledged that the LPG situation remains concerning due to the ongoing war. However, she added that there is no shortage at any distributorship, and online bookings have further increased to 94 per cent.
Also Read: Kolkata’s 124-Year-Old Nahoum Bakery Shuts Amid LPG Crisis — When Will It Reopen?
“Furthermore, approximately 83% of refill deliveries are being made using the Delivery Authenticate authentication code. Panic bookings are declining. Yesterday, approximately 57,000 refill bookings were received. Furthermore, LPG cylinder deliveries are normal, she added.
MEA On Buying LPG From Russia:
Meanwhile, Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India is trying to buy LPG from everywhere, and if it is available from Russia, the option would be exercised. He said India wants to have a wide range of options and is buying oil from various sources, including Russia.
"We're trying to buy LPG from everywhere, wherever it's available. So if Russia is available, we'll go there too. Because the current situation is such that we have to ensure that our people's fuel needs are met... I can say that we want to have a wide range of options," Jaiswal said.
As the Iran war entered day 20, one of the biggest concerns for the global oil market is the disruption of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that is a vital energy route, typically facilitating the shipment of nearly 20 per cent of the global trade in liquefied natural gas. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) blocked the strait after the US and Israel's airstrikes on February 28.
