**Executive Summary**
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has confirmed that India’s energy supply remains fully secure, with no shortages of petrol, diesel, or LPG. This statement addresses a deliberate misinformation campaign causing panic buying and clarifies that the country maintains approximately 60 days of stock cover. The government warns that spreading false information regarding essential commodities is a legal offense and urges citizens to rely only on official communications.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Fuel Availability and Supply Stability**
* India is a net exporter of petroleum products and the world's 4th largest refiner, ensuring domestic petrol and diesel availability is structurally assured.
* All 1 lakh-plus retail outlets are operational; no rationing or "National Energy Emergency" measures have been implemented.
* Oil companies have increased credit for petrol pump owners from one day to three days to address working capital issues and prevent stock-outs.
* **Crude Oil Procurement and Reserves**
* Supply disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz have been compensated by high volumes from over 41 global suppliers, particularly from the western hemisphere.
* Refineries are operating at over 100% utilization, and crude oil supplies for the next 60 days are already secured.
* While misinformation suggests only 6 days of stock remains, India actually has 74 days of total reserve capacity and a current stock cover of approximately 60 days.
* **LPG and PNG Production**
* Domestic LPG production has been ramped up by 40%, meeting over 60% of the daily requirement (50 TMT produced against 80 TMT required).
* 800 TMT of LPG cargoes are secured and en route from the US, Russia, and Australia to India's 22 import terminals.
* Piped Natural Gas (PNG) expansion to over 1.5 crore connections is a long-term strategic transition for cost and safety, not a response to any LPG shortage.
* **Action Against Misinformation**
* The Ministry clarified that the "Natural Gas Control Order" and "LPG Control Order" are standard administrative instruments for supply prioritization, not emergency declarations.
* The government has identified a coordinated campaign using fabricated claims of lockdowns and global rationing footage to create panic.
* Legal action will be taken against individuals found to be deliberately creating public anxiety or spreading false information.
**Impact Analysis**
**General Public / Citizens**
**Impact**
Affected by panic-inducing misinformation on social media, leading to unnecessary queues and temporary spikes in cylinder demand.
**Action Required**
Stop panic buying, dismiss unverified social media claims, and rely solely on official government communications for information on fuel availability.
**Petrol Pump Owners**
**Impact**
Experienced surges in demand and potential working capital constraints due to rapid stock turnover during panic buying.
**Action Required**
Utilize the newly extended three-day credit facility provided by Oil Companies to maintain continuous fuel dispensing.
**Oil Companies and Refineries**
**Impact**
Required to operate depots through the night and maintain refinery utilization at over 100% to ramp up supplies.
**Action Required**
Continue the timely delivery of over 50 lakh cylinders daily and ensure the procurement of the 800 TMT of secured inbound LPG cargoes.
**State Governments**
**Impact**
Responsible for coordinating with the central ministry to manage local distribution and prevent market malpractices.
**Action Required**
Work with the Ministry to prevent hoarding or black marketing and continue the expansion of Piped Natural Gas (PNG) infrastructure.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas: The primary government body responsible for ensuring the security and management of India's petroleum and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) supplies.
LPG Control Order: A regulatory administrative instrument issued to prioritise supply and ramp up domestic refinery production of LPG.
Natural Gas Control Order: A standard administrative instrument used for supply prioritisation of natural gas as part of India's energy management strategy.
Strait of Hormuz: A critical global oil transit point cited as a potential source of supply disruption which India has managed through diversified sourcing.
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
India's Energy Supply Fully Secure; Government
Calls Out Deliberate Misinformation Campaign
Posted On: 26 MAR 2026 2:15PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas categorically states that India's petroleum and LPG supply
situation is fully secure and under control. All retail fuel outlets have enough supplies. There is no
shortage of petrol, diesel, or LPG anywhere in the country. The Ministry calls upon citizens not to be
misled by a deliberately mischievous, coordinated campaign of misinformation that is being carried out to
spread unjustified panic.
Petrol and Diesel: No Shortage, No Rationing
1. India is an oasis of energy security. India is the world's 4th largest refiner and 5th largest exporter of
petroleum products, supplying refined fuel to over 150 countries. Because India is a net exporter to the
world, domestic petrol and diesel availability is structurally assured. All 1 lakh-plus retail fuel outlets
across the country are open and dispensing fuel without interruption. Not a single outlet has been asked
to ration supply. Across the world, countries are dealing with price increases, rationing, odd-even vehicle
restrictions, and forced station closures. Few have declared “National Energy Emergency”. India DOES
NOT FEEL THE NEED FOR ANY SUCH MEASURES. While other nations are rationing, there is no
shortage of supplies in India. Where isolated instances of panic buying occurred at select pumps, they
were driven by deliberate misinformation spread by certain videos in social media. Despite the surge
in demand on such pumps, fuel was dispensed to all the consumers and Oil company depots have been
operational through the night to ramp up supplies. Steps have also been taken by Oil Companies to
increase credit to petrol pumps to over 3 days from earlier allowed 1 day in order to ensure that there is no
shortage of petrol and diesel at any pump due to working capital issues of pump owners.
Crude Oil Supply: Gap More Than Compensated
2. Despite the situation at the Strait of Hormuz, India is today receiving more crude oil from its 41-plus
suppliers across the world than what was previously arriving through the Straits. High volumes available
in international markets — especially from the western hemisphere — have more than compensated
for any disruption. Every Indian refinery is running at over 100% utilisation. Crude oil supplies for
next 60 days have already been tied up by Indian Oil companies. There is NO supply gap.
Strategic Reserves: The Complete and Accurate Picture
3. Misinformation has been circulating — including through some articles and social media videos —
suggesting that only 6 days of stocks are there in the country. India has 74 days of total reserve capacity
and actual stock cover is around 60 days right now (including crude stocks, products stocks and the
dedicated strategic storage in caverns) even as we are on the 27th day of the Middle East crisis. Nearly
two months of steady supply is available for every Indian citizen regardless of what happens
globally. Next 2 months of crude procurement has also been secured. India is completely secure fornext many months and the quantity in strategic cavern storage becomes secondary in such a supply
situation. Therefore, any representation that India's reserves are depleted or insufficient should be
dismissed with the disdain it deserves.
LPG: Production Up, Import Requirement Down, Cargoes Secured
4. There is no LPG shortage. Following the LPG Control Order issued by this Ministry, domestic
refinery production has been ramped up by 40%, bringing daily LPG output to 50 TMT (more than 60%
of our requirement) against a total daily requirement of around 80 TMT. The net daily import requirement
has consequently come down to only 30 TMT — meaning India is now producing much more than it
needs to import. Over and above domestic production, 800 TMT of assured inbound LPG cargoes
are already secured and en route from the United States, Russia, Australia, and other countries,
arriving across India's 22 LPG import terminals — double the 11 terminals that existed in 2014.
Approximately one full month of supply is firmly arranged, with additional procurement being
finalised continuously. Oil companies are successfully delivering over 50 lakh cylinders every day.
Cylinder demand had gone up to 89 lakh cylinders due to panic ordering by consumers and has now come
down to 50 lakh cylinders again. Commercial cylinder allocations have been raised to 50% in consultation
with state governments to avoid hoarding or black marketing.
PNG Promotion: A Transition Already Underway, Not a Crisis Response
5. Piped Natural Gas is being promoted — in full coordination with state governments — because it is
cheaper, cleaner, and safer for Indian households. India already produces 92 MMSCMD of natural gas
domestically out of a total daily requirement of 191 MMSCMD, making India far less import-dependent
on gas than on LPG. City gas distribution has expanded from 57 geographical areas in 2014 to over 300
today. Domestic PNG connections have grown from 25 lakh to over 1.5 crore. This transition was well
underway before the current situation arose and reflects India's long-term energy strategy. The claim that
PNG is being pushed because LPG is running out is misinformation. LPG supply is secure. PNG is
simply a better, more affordable and highly convenient fuel for India's households.
Government Warning: Action Against Misinformation
6. The Ministry has noted with serious concern the circulation of misleading videos and posts on social
media platforms that selectively use images of queues, global news footage of rationing in other countries,
and completely bogus and fabricated claims of impending lockdowns and emergency fuel measures in
India to create a wholly false impression of shortage.
7. Some posts have deliberately misrepresented government orders — including the Natural Gas Control
Order and the LPG Control Order — as emergency declarations signalling crisis, when in fact they are
standard administrative instruments for supply prioritisation issued as a prudent and pre-emptive measure.
8. This misinformation is being spread by miscreants and amplified by motivated elements, causing
unnecessary public anxiety. The Ministry urges all citizens to rely only on official government
communications for information regarding fuel and gas availability. Spreading false information regarding
essential commodity availability is an offence under applicable laws, and the government will not hesitate
to act against those found to be deliberately creating panic.
****
MN
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