NEW DELHI: Amid ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia that are impacting global fuel supply chains, the Government of India has directed oil refineries across the country to increase the production of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG). The move is aimed at ensuring adequate supply for domestic households and stabilising the availability of cooking gas in the coming months.
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas on Monday said that refineries have been instructed to enhance LPG output and prioritise the additional production for household consumption. In a post on social media platform X, the ministry stated that the directive was issued in response to potential disruptions in international fuel supplies and constraints in LPG availability.
“In light of current geopolitical disruptions to fuel supply and constraints on the supply of LPG, the Ministry has issued orders to oil refineries for higher LPG production and using such extra production for domestic LPG use,” the ministry said.
To ensure that household consumers are not affected, the government has also introduced a longer gap between LPG bookings. The inter-booking period has been extended from 21 days to 25 days in order to prevent hoarding and curb black marketing of cylinders.
Government sources said the change was implemented after authorities observed unusual consumption patterns in recent months. “There were instances where people who were earlier booking LPG cylinders every 55 days had started booking cylinders in about 15 days,” sources said.
Under the revised supply strategy, imported LPG will be prioritised for essential non-domestic sectors such as hospitals and educational institutions. Supplies to other non-domestic sectors, including restaurants, hotels and industries, will be reviewed by a committee comprising three Executive Directors from oil marketing companies (OMCs).
Despite volatility in global energy markets, officials maintained that there are no immediate concerns regarding the availability of petrol and diesel in the country. They added that fuel prices are unlikely to increase unless international crude oil prices rise beyond USD 130 per barrel.
Authorities also noted that India currently has adequate fuel reserves and the government is closely monitoring the situation to ensure uninterrupted supply of petroleum products across the country.
