India Steps Up Fuel Monitoring and Maritime Safety Amid West Asia Conflict

Government Assures Adequate Fuel Supply

As tensions escalate in West Asia, the Indian government has moved swiftly to intensify monitoring of petroleum supplies, maritime operations, and the welfare of Indian nationals in the region. Officials confirmed that all refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, and that India remains self-sufficient in petrol and diesel production without needing imports.

Oil Marketing Companies reported no shortage at any retail outlet across the country. Citizens have been urged not to panic-buy, as LPG bookings in fact declined from 88.8 lakh per day to around 77 lakh, suggesting demand pressure is already easing.

LPG Policy Changes to Optimise Distribution

To ensure better LPG availability, the government amended the LPG Control Order. Consumers who already have piped natural gas (PNG) connections will now be required to surrender their domestic LPG connections, and new LPG connections will not be issued to those with PNG supply. The aim is to redirect cylinders to households and sectors that genuinely depend on them.

Digital LPG booking usage has risen from 84 per cent to around 87 per cent, and the government has rationalised booking intervals — 25 days in urban areas and up to 45 days in rural regions. An additional 48,000 kilolitres of kerosene has been allocated to states, and hospitality and restaurant businesses have been encouraged to temporarily shift to alternative fuels.

22 States Set Up Control Rooms

High-level supply review meetings have been held across multiple states. So far, 22 states and Union Territories have established dedicated control rooms to coordinate petroleum distribution. Surprise inspections of LPG distributorships are underway, and raids against hoarding and black marketing have been conducted in states including Andhra Pradesh and Bihar.

Indian Vessels Safe, Seafarers Monitored

On the maritime front, the Indian-flagged vessel Jag Laadki — which was loading crude oil at Fujairah's Single Point Mooring when the terminal was attacked on March 14 — departed safely on March 16 carrying approximately 80,800 metric tonnes of Murban crude, with all seafarers confirmed safe.

Two LPG carriers, Shivalik and Nanda Devi, carrying around 92,712 metric tonnes of LPG, crossed the Strait of Hormuz on March 14 and are heading to Mundra (March 16) and Kandla (March 17) ports respectively.

The Directorate General of Shipping is monitoring 22 Indian-flagged vessels with 611 seafarers west of the Persian Gulf. Since activating its dedicated control room, authorities have handled 2,995 calls and over 5,357 emails from seafarers and stakeholders. A total of 276 seafarers have been repatriated so far.

Indians in the Region

The Ministry of External Affairs said protecting Indian nationals in West Asia remains the government's highest priority. Indian missions are operating 24x7 helplines and coordinating evacuation support. Since February 28, approximately 1.94 lakh passengers have returned to India from the region. Five Indian nationals have died in conflict-related incidents, while one remains missing and is being actively located by Indian missions in Oman, Iraq, and the UAE.