No Fuel Shortage in India, All Seafarers Safe Amid West Asia Tensions: Government
New Delhi: The government on Thursday reassured citizens that there is no shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG across the country, even as tensions continue in West Asia. It also confirmed that all Indian seafarers in the region are safe.
During a joint media briefing at the National Media Centre, officials from the Petroleum Ministry and the Shipping Ministry outlined steps being taken to ensure uninterrupted fuel supply, maintain maritime security, and avoid any disruption to essential services.
Authorities urged people not to panic or indulge in unnecessary bulk buying of fuel or LPG cylinders. Citizens were advised to rely only on official updates and use digital platforms for LPG bookings to avoid inconvenience.
The government stated that supply to domestic LPG users, PNG consumers, and CNG transport systems is currently running at full capacity despite global uncertainties.
Data shared by officials showed that nearly 99% of LPG bookings are now being made online, while about 96% of deliveries are authenticated through secure verification systems to curb misuse and black marketing.
In the past three days, around 1.34 crore LPG cylinders have been delivered against bookings of nearly 1.32 crore. On Wednesday alone, approximately 47.5 lakh cylinders were supplied to consumers.
To prevent hoarding and illegal diversion, enforcement agencies carried out over 5,000 raids nationwide. In addition, more than 3,100 surprise inspections were conducted at fuel retail outlets and LPG distributors. As a result, penalties were imposed on 463 distributors, and 81 distributorships have been suspended.
The government is also promoting piped natural gas (PNG) as an alternative. So far, over 58,500 users have voluntarily given up LPG connections via the MYPNGD platform. Since March 2026, about 7.64 lakh new PNG connections have been activated, with infrastructure ready for an additional 2.81 lakh users.
Meanwhile, 22 states and Union Territories are receiving extra commercial LPG allocations linked to PNG expansion efforts.
On fuel pricing, officials noted that rising geopolitical tensions have pushed global crude oil prices higher. To reduce the burden on consumers, the government has cut excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre. Export duties have also been adjusted—reduced on diesel and aviation fuel, while imposed on petrol.
“All petrol pumps across the country are functioning normally, and there is sufficient stock of petrol and diesel available,” the ministry said.
On the maritime front, officials confirmed that shipping operations remain stable. No incidents involving Indian ships or vessels with Indian crew have been reported in the last 72 hours.
The Directorate General of Shipping has facilitated the safe return of more than 3,316 Indian seafarers so far, including 99 who were repatriated in the past three days.
