Following the conflict in West Asia, which is rattling global energy markets and threatening vital shipping routes, India is trying to steady its energy lifeline by diversifying its supply sources and tightening emergency reserves.
Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Tuesday sought to reassure consumers that the country’s fuel supplies remain stable.
“We are committed to ensure uninterrupted supply of affordable energy to our domestic consumers,” he said during an interaction with reporters.
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“There is no reason to panic,” Puri said, adding that authorities are monitoring the situation on a “minute-to-minute basis.”
Later on, X (formerly Twitter), he also added, “We have taken steps to ensure that 100% supply of CNG & PNG to domestic consumers is ensured and other industries continue to get 70-80% of their supplies, despite the war situation.”
“We are committed to ensure uninterrupted supply of affordable energy to our domestic consumers. There is no shortage for domestic consumers and no reason to panic.”
Russia pumps 1.04 million barrels daily to India amid crisis
Notably, the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors, has effectively come under the influence of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards amid the escalating conflict. The narrow waterway carries nearly 20 per cent of global petroleum and natural gas shipments.
Nearly one-third of India’s natural gas imports have been affected as shipping through the Strait becomes increasingly uncertain.
One of the biggest setbacks came earlier this month when Qatar, the backbone of India’s LNG supply, declared force majeure after its energy facilities were hit during the conflict.
India is currently the world’s fourth-largest buyer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the second-largest importer of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). By early 2026, the country was importing about 88 per cent of its crude oil and roughly half of its natural gas requirements.
With the Gulf route under pressure, Russia has once again emerged as a key supplier. It currently provides more than 1.04 million barrels per day of crude to India, about 20 per cent of the country’s total imports. To prevent disruption in global oil markets, the US Treasury recently granted a 30-day waiver allowing Indian refiners to receive Russian crude shipments already in transit.
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Then, Iraq and Saudi Arabia continue to remain among India’s most reliable partners, each contributing between 17 and 20 per cent of crude imports.
The United States take care of about 8 per cent of India’s oil imports.
India has also increased imports in West Africa and Latin America. The producers like Nigeria, Angola and Brazil have also become relevant, since their shipping routes do not even pass through the volatile West Asian region.
