As part of its ongoing outreach to keep the media informed on the evolving situation in West Asia, the Government of India convened a briefing at the National Media Centre today. Officials from the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ports, Shipping and Waterways, External Affairs, and Information and Broadcasting provided updates on fuel availability, maritime operations, assistance to Indian nationals in the region, and measures being undertaken to maintain stability across key sectors. The Ministry of Coal also shared updates pertaining to the coal sector.

Coal Sector Updates

The Ministry of Coal provided an update on the current status of coal availability and measures being taken to ensure uninterrupted supply across the country. As per Ministry:

• In the current geopolitical situation, the coal sector carries greater responsibility and stands fully prepared to meet consumer needs, supported by Indian Railways and adequate coal stocks at mines and thermal power plants. With a round-the-year proactive approach and timely planning, sufficient stocks were built well in advance of the evolving West Asia situation, ensuring energy security and insulating the country from potential disruptions.
• In view of the evolving geopolitical developments, the Ministry of Coal has undertaken proactive and coordinated measures, including an affordability-focused approach through enhanced availability and close coordination with the Ministry of Power, Indian Railways and State Governments to ensure seamless coal supply and prevent shortages.
• Coal India Limited and Singareni Collieries Company Limited have absorbed higher input costs, including increased prices of explosives and diesel, without passing them on to consumers.
• To ensure affordability and availability, Coal India Limited has reduced the reserve price of coal under e-auctions and increased supply through e-auctions and the State Nominated Agency mechanism. Coal supply for small, medium and other consumers has been optimized through these two channels, with higher allocations to meet emergent and short-term requirements.
• Coal India Limited increased the frequency of e-auctions in March 2026, offering 32.53 million tonnes of coal, of which 13.32 million tonnes, about 40.94 percent, was booked, indicating adequate supply. For April 2026, 30 e-auctions have been planned offering 25.80 million tonnes; so far 3.20 million tonnes have been offered and 1.24 million tonnes booked, about 38.75 percent.
• The Ministry has advised State Governments to submit demand in a timely manner and to prevent profiteering and hoarding, while ensuring fair distribution. Coal offtake by State Nominated Agencies is being monitored daily. The annual average offtake for 2025-26 stood at 14.26 percent against allocation, with States permitted to lift the remaining allocation within 90 days beyond 31.03.2026; offtake during the extended period stands at 14.75 percent.
• Following coordination with States, Bihar, Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab and Tripura have submitted allocation requests, and a total of 1.502 million tonnes of coal has been allocated for 2026-27. Allocation to remaining States is being undertaken upon receipt of their requests.
• Adequate buffer stocks of coal have been maintained across the value chain. Coal stocks at thermal power plants stand at 55.18 million tonnes as on 06.04.2026, sufficient for about 24 days based on recent consumption. In addition, about 171.90 million tonnes of coal is available at mines and in transit, including stocks at Coal India Limited, Singareni Collieries Company Limited, captive mines, ports and transit.
• Coal production continues to match consumption levels without deficit, and offtake support from Indian Railways remains adequate. With strong logistics support and comfortable stock position, the coal sector is fully equipped to meet the nation’s energy needs.

Energy Supply and Fuel Availability

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas shared an update on the current fuel supply situation, outlining measures being undertaken to ensure uninterrupted availability of petroleum products and LPG amid the ongoing developments affecting the Strait of Hormuz. It was noted that:

Public Advisory and Citizen Awareness

• Citizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of petrol, diesel and LPG and rely only on official sources for information.
• LPG consumers are requested to use digital booking platforms and avoid visiting distributors.
• Citizens are encouraged to use alternate fuels such as PNG and electric or induction cooktops.
• All citizens are urged to conserve energy during the current situation.

Government Preparedness and Supply Management Measures

• Despite the ongoing geopolitical situation, the Government has prioritised domestic LPG and PNG supply, particularly for hospitals and educational institutions.
• The Government has already implemented several rationalisation measures on both the supply and demand side, including enhancing refinery production, increasing the booking interval from 21 to 25 days in urban areas and up to 45 days in rural areas and prioritising sectors for supply.
• Alternate fuels such as kerosene and coal have been made available to ease pressure on LPG demand.
• The Ministry of Coal has directed Coal India and Singareni Collieries to supply additional coal to States for distribution to small and medium consumers.
• States have been advised to facilitate new PNG connections for domestic and commercial consumers.

Coordinated Efforts with States/UTs and Institutional Mechanisms

• State Governments are empowered under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 and LPG Control Order, 2000 to monitor supply and act against hoarding and black marketing of petroleum products.
• The Government of India vide letters dated 27.03.2026 and 02.04.2026 have stressed the need for proactive public communication to reassure citizens regarding adequate fuel availability. Regular review meetings are being held with States/UTs. In this context, meetings were convened on 02.04.2026 (Chaired by Secretary, MoPNG) and on 06.04.2026 (Chaired by Secretary, MoPNG along with Secretaries of I&B and Consumer Affairs), wherein the following was emphasized:
  • To issue daily press briefings and issue regular public advisories.
  • To actively monitor and counter fake news / misinformation on social media.
  • To intensify daily enforcement drives by District admin and to continue raids and inspections in coordination with OMCs
  • To issue Commercial LPG allocation orders within their States/UTs
  • To issue SKO allocation orders for additional SKO allotted to the States/UTs.
  • To promote PNG adoptions and alternate fuels.
  • To prioritise LPG supply, especially for domestic needs, and adopt targeted distribution of 5 kg FTL cylinders to ensure supply stability.
• All States/UTs have established control rooms and district monitoring committees to curb hoarding and black marketing.
• Currently, 24 States/UTs are issuing regular press briefings.

Enforcement and Monitoring Actions

• Enforcement actions continue across the country to curb hoarding and black marketing of LPG. Yesterday, around 4000 raids were conducted, and about 1000 cylinders were seized across the country.
• Till date, more than 56,000 LPG cylinders have been seized across the country.
• PSU Oil Marketing Companies have strengthened surprise inspections and issued over 1770 show-cause notices, imposed penalties on 175 LPG distributorships and suspended 51 distributorships.

LPG Supply

Domestic LPG Supply Status:

• LPG supply continues to be affected by the prevailing geopolitical situation.
• No dry-outs have been reported at LPG distributorships.
• Online LPG bookings have increased to about 95% across the industry.
• Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) based deliveries have increased to around 91% to prevent diversion.
• Domestic LPG cylinder deliveries remain normal.
• On 07.04.2026, more than 53.5 Lakh domestic LPG cylinders were delivered.

Commercial LPG Supply and Allocation Measures:

• Total commercial LPG allocation has been increased to about 70% of pre-crisis levels, including 10% reform-linked allocation.
• The Government of India vide letter dated 08.04.2026 has now conveyed that–
  • Industrial units in the sectors of Pharma, Food, Polymer, Agriculture, Packaging, Paint, Uranium, Heavy Water, Steel, Seed, Metal, Ceramic, Foundry, Forging, Glass, Aerosol etc. shall also receive 70% of the units’ pre-March 2026 Bulk non-domestic LPG consumption level subject to an overall sectoral limit of 0.2 TMT/day.
  • Conditions stipulated in Para (b) of letter dated 21.03.2026 regarding registration with OMCs and Para (c) regarding application for PNG to CGD entities must also be fulfilled by the respective industries to avail Bulk LPG under this allocation. However, if the industries mentioned above use LPG as an integral input in the manufacturing process or for specialised purposes that cannot be substituted by Natural gas, the requirement relating to application for PNG shall stand waived.
• The Government of India vide letter dated 06.04.2026 has conveyed that daily quantity of 5 Kg FTL cylinders in each State available for disbursal to migrant labourers is being doubled based on the average daily supply (Number of cylinders) to migrant labourers during 2^nd-3^rd March 2026 beyond the limit of 20% mentioned in letter dated 21.03.2026. These 5 Kg FTL cylinders will be at disposal of the State Government for supplying only to migrant labourers in their State with assistance of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
• Since 23 March 2026, about 8.9 lakh 5-kg Free Trade LPG cylinders have been sold.
• PSU OMCs have organised around 1600 awareness camps for 5 Kg FTL Cylinders during last 5 days, wherein More than 14,000 - 5Kg FTL cylinders were also sold.
• On 07.04.2026, more than 1.1 Lakh 5 Kg FTL Cylinders were sold across the country against a daily average of 77000 in the month of Feb-26.
• A three-member committee of Executive Directors from IOCL, HPCL and BPCL is coordinating with State authorities and industry bodies to plan commercial LPG distribution.
• About 93,085 MT of commercial LPG (equivalent to over 49 lakh 19-kg cylinders) has been sold since 14 March 2026. Yesterday, 6646 MT of Commercial LPG (Equivalent to more than 3.5 Lakh - 19 Kg cylinders) was sold.

Natural Gas Supply and PNG Expansion Initiatives

• Priority sectors continue to receive protected supplies, including 100% supply to domestic PNG and CNG transport.
• Based on available inventory and scheduled LNG cargo arrivals, the overall gas allocation to fertilizer plants is being further enhanced by 5% to reach approximately 95% of their six-month average consumption, effective 09.04.2026.
• Gas supply to other industrial and commercial sectors, including City Gas Distribution (CGD) networks, has also been enhanced by a further 10%, effective 06.04.2026.
• CGD entities have been advised to prioritise PNG connections for commercial establishments such as hotels, restaurants and canteens, to address concerns regarding the availability of commercial LPG.
• CGD companies including IGL, MGL, GAIL Gas and BPCL are offering incentives for domestic and commercial PNG connections.
• States/UTs and Central Ministries have been requested to expedite approvals required for expansion of CGD networks.
• The Government of India vide letter dated 18.03.2026 has offered all States/UTs additional 10% allocation of commercial LPG to States provided they can help in long term transition from LPG to PNG.
• 18 States/UTs like Gujarat, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Keralam etc. are already receiving additional commercial LPG allocation linked to PNG expansion reforms.
• PNGRB has directed CGD entities to connect institutions such as schools, hostels, community kitchens and anganwadi kitchens through PNG within five days where pipelines are available.
• The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways has adopted an Accelerated Approval Framework for CGD infrastructure for three months to process applications on priority.
• The Government of India vide Gazette dated 24.03.2026 has notified the Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Order, 2026 under the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. The Order provides a streamlined and time-bound framework for laying and expanding pipelines across the country, addressing delays in approvals and access to land, and enabling faster development of natural gas infrastructure, including in residential areas. It is expected to accelerate PNG network growth, enhance last-mile connectivity, and support the transition to cleaner fuels, thereby strengthening energy security and advancing India’s gas-based economy.
• The Ministry of Defence has issued a short-term policy modification till 30 June 2026 to expedite PNG infrastructure installation in defence residential areas.
• PNGRB has extended the National PNG Drive 2.0 till 30 June 2026 to sustain momentum in PNG expansion.
• To encourage cleaner, more secure and self-reliant energy future, the Government of India has developed a model draft State CBG Policy. The model policy is intended to serve as a comprehensive flexible guiding framework to enable States to create their own investor-friendly and implementation-oriented ecosystem for CBG development. Those States which opt for this, will be prioritized for the next tranche of additional allocation of commercial LPG.
• Since March 2026, about 3.87 lakh PNG connections have been gasified and about 4.21 lakh additional customers have registered for new connections.
• More than 17,100 PNG consumers have surrendered their LPG connections via MYPNGD.in website.

Crude Position and Refinery Operations

• • All refineries are operating at high capacity with adequate crude inventories, while sufficient stocks of petrol and diesel are being maintained.
  • Domestic LPG production from refineries has been increased to support domestic consumption.
  • The Government of India vide order dated 01.04.2026 has permitted Refining companies including Petrochemical Complexes in India to make available certain minimum quantities of C3 & C4 streams for critical sectors like Department of Pharmaceuticals, Department of Food & Public Distribution, Department of Chemicals & Petro Chemicals etc. based on specific quantity and refinery source as determined by the Centre for High Technology (CHT).
  • Provision for 800 MT/day has been made for companies related to above departments.

Retail Fuel Availability and pricing Measures

• Retail outlets across the country are operating normally.
• The Middle East crisis has led to an abnormal increase in crude prices; however, to protect consumers, the Government of India has reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by ₹10 per litre.
• Export levy has been imposed at ₹21.5 per litre on diesel and ₹29.5 per litre on Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) to ensure adequate domestic availability.
• Retail prices of petrol and diesel remain unchanged with no increase at retail outlets.
• The Government has advised citizens not to believe rumours and requested State Governments to disseminate accurate information through press briefings.

Kerosene Availability and Distribution Measures

• An additional allocation of 48,000 KL of kerosene has been provided to States/UTs over and above regular allocation.
• The Government of India vide Gazette notification dated 29.03.2026 has facilitated distribution of PDS Superior Kerosene Oil (SKO) in PDS SKO Free States/UTs for cooking and lighting purpose only –
  • A maximum of two PSU OMC service stations per district (preferably Company Owned Company Operated) are permitted to store up to 5,000 litres of PDS SKO.
  • These PSU OMC service stations shall be designated by the State Government or UT administration in each district.
• 18 States/UTs have issued SKO allocation orders, while Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh have indicated no requirement.

Maritime Safety and Shipping Operations

The current maritime situation in the Persian Gulf, along with measures being undertaken to safeguard Indian vessels and crew, was also briefed. It was stated that:

• All Indian seafarers in the region are safe and no incident involving Indian-flagged vessels has been reported in the past 24 hours.
• The Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), in coordination with ship owners, RPSL agencies and Indian Missions, continues to closely monitor the situation.
• The DG Shipping Control Room remains operational 24×7 and has handled 5481 calls and 11,726 emails since activation, including 139 calls and 673 emails in the past 24 hours.
• DG Shipping has facilitated the safe repatriation of over 1754 Indian seafarers so far, including 63 in the last 24 hours from airports and various regional locations across the Gulf.
• Port operations across India continue normally with no congestion reported. State Maritime Boards of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Keralam, Andhra Pradesh and Puducherry have confirmed smooth functioning.
• The Ministry continues to coordinate with the Ministry of External Affairs, Indian Missions and maritime stakeholders to ensure the welfare of Indian seafarers and uninterrupted maritime operations.

Safety of Indian Nationals in the Region

Recent developments in the region, including assistance through Indian Missions, were shared during the briefing. It was informed that:

• The Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asia region. Ensuring the safety, security and welfare of the large Indian community in the region remains our highest priority. To support Indian nationals and their families, a dedicated special control room in the Ministry is operational. The Ministry continues to be in regular touch with the State Governments and Union Territories to share information and align efforts.
• Missions and Posts across the region are working continuously, operating round-the-clock helplines, and remain actively engaged with Indian community associations, organizations and Indian companies. Regular advisories are being issued providing updated information for nationals. Missions remain in close touch with local governments and are proactively addressing issues and concerns of Indian nationals, including facilitation for visas, consular services, transit through neighbouring countries where there are airspace restrictions, and providing logistical support wherever required.
• Flights continue to operate from the region to India from countries where airspace is open. Since 28 February, around 7,88,000 passengers have travelled from the region to India.
• In view of flight restrictions and airspace closure in Israel, Iraq, Kuwait and Bahrain, travel of Indian nationals continues to be facilitated through alternate routes:
• from Iran, through Armenia and Azerbaijan to India
• from Israel, through Egypt and Jordan to India
• from Iraq, through Jordan and Saudi Arabia to India
• and from Kuwait and Bahrain, through Saudi Arabia to India
• The Embassy of India has issued a fresh advisory urging Indian nationals to expeditiously exit Iran in coordination with the Embassy as per the advised routes. It is understood that around 7,500 Indian nationals remain in Iran.
• As of yesterday, the Embassy has facilitated the exit of 1,864 Indian nationals from Iran through the land border with Armenia and Azerbaijan. This includes 935 Indian students and 472 Indian fishermen.

Statement on recent development in West Asia

"We welcome the ceasefire reached and hope that it will lead to a lasting peace in West Asia. As we have continuously advocated earlier, deescalation, dialogue and diplomacy are essential to bring an early end to the ongoing conflict.

The conflict has already caused immense suffering to people and disrupted global energy supply and trade networks. We expect that unimpeded freedom of navigation and global flow of commerce would prevail through the Strait of Hormuz.

India has always been in favour of peace. We welcome all steps that lead to peace and stability. We hope that this development in West Asia will also encourage peace efforts in Ukraine."

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