**Executive Summary**
This inter-ministerial briefing, dated April 23, 2026, details the Government of India’s strategic response to the evolving geopolitical situation in West Asia. It focuses on ensuring uninterrupted energy supplies, safeguarding maritime operations, and protecting Indian nationals in the region. Key actions include the extension of the National PNG Drive 2.0 until June 30, 2026, and the implementation of fuel rationalization measures.
**Key Points / Main Content**
**Energy Supply and Fuel Management**
* **Supply Guarantees:** The government has ensured 100% supply for domestic LPG, PNG, and CNG (Transport).
* **Rationalization Measures:** LPG booking intervals have been increased to 25 days in urban areas and 45 days in rural areas to manage demand.
* **Commercial Priority:** Commercial LPG supply is prioritized for hospitals, educational institutions, and critical industries like pharma and agriculture.
* **Alternate Fuels:** Ministry of Coal has directed additional coal supplies to small consumers, and kerosene has been made available to ease LPG demand.
**Enforcement and Hoarding Prevention**
* **National Raids:** Over 1.5 lakh raids have been conducted, resulting in the seizure of 66,000 cylinders and 255 arrests.
* **Distributor Oversight:** PSU Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) have suspended 70 LPG distributorships and penalized 298 others for irregularities.
* **Digital Monitoring:** 98% of LPG bookings are now online, with 94% using Delivery Authentication Codes (DAC) to prevent diversion.
**Natural Gas and PNG Expansion**
* **Infrastructure Growth:** Since March 2026, 7.76 lakh PNG connections have been created or registered.
* **National PNG Drive 2.0:** This initiative has been extended to June 30, 2026, to sustain momentum in domestic gas adoption.
* **Policy Framework:** A model draft State CBG (Compressed Bio-Gas) Policy has been developed to create investor-friendly ecosystems in various states.
**Fuel Pricing and Retail Measures**
* **Duty Reductions:** Central excise duty on petrol and diesel was reduced by ₹10 per litre to protect consumers from rising crude prices.
* **Export Restrictions:** To ensure domestic availability, export levies were increased to ₹55.50 per litre for diesel and ₹42 per litre for Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF).
**Maritime Safety and Repatriation**
* **Seafarer Welfare:** 2,680 Indian seafarers have been safely repatriated; all personnel involved in recent firing incidents in the Strait of Hormuz are confirmed safe.
* **Regional Evacuations:** 2,428 Indian nationals have been moved out of Iran via Armenia and Azerbaijan, including 1,096 students and 657 fishermen.
* **Air Connectivity:** Flight operations are recovering, with approximately 110 daily flights between the UAE and India and resumed operations in Israel and Bahrain.
**Impact Analysis**
**Indian Citizens and Consumers**
**Impact**
Consumers face longer wait times for LPG refills due to increased booking intervals but are protected from global price volatility through excise duty cuts.
**Action Required**
Avoid panic buying, utilize digital booking platforms, and transition to alternate energy sources like PNG or induction cooktops.
**Migrant Labourers**
**Impact**
This group is specifically supported through a doubled supply of 5 kg FTL (Free Trade LPG) cylinders to ensure fuel security.
**Action Required**
Access cylinders through the 320+ specialized awareness camps and distribution points organized by OMCs.
**State Governments and UTs**
**Impact**
States are empowered under the Essential Commodities Act to regulate supply and are responsible for curbing local black marketing.
**Action Required**
Establish control rooms, conduct daily press briefings to counter misinformation, and expedite approvals for City Gas Distribution (CGD) infrastructure.
**Indian Nationals and Seafarers in West Asia**
**Impact**
Nationals face regional security risks and airspace closures but have access to government-facilitated repatriation and emergency helplines.
**Action Required**
Maintain contact with Indian Missions, register for repatriation if necessary, and adhere to updated travel advisories issued by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Key Entities Referenced
Essential Commodities Act, 1955: The primary legislation empowering authorities to conduct raids, seize cylinders, and regulate the supply of fuel to prevent hoarding and black marketing.
LPG Control Order, 2000: A specific regulatory order used to monitor the supply situation and take enforcement actions against the diversion of domestic and commercial LPG.
National PNG Drive 2.0: A government initiative extended to June 2026 to accelerate the expansion of Piped Natural Gas connections as a prioritized alternative to LPG.
Natural Gas and Petroleum Products Distribution (Through Laying, Building, Operation and Expansion of Pipelines and Other Facilities) Order, 2026: A newly notified order providing a streamlined, time-bound framework for expanding natural gas infrastructure across the country.
Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping): The primary body managing the maritime safety of Indian vessels and coordinating the repatriation of seafarers from the West Asia region.
Ministry of Petroleum & Natural Gas
Inter-Ministerial Briefing on Recent
Developments in West Asia
More than 1.5 Lakh raids conducted and over 66,000
cylinders seized across the country till date
41,000 PNG consumers surrendered their LPG connections
via MYPNGD.in website so far
Over 17 Lakh - 5 Kg FTL cylinders sold since 1st April 2026
Incidents of firing on foreign-flagged vessels reported in the
Strait of Hormuz involving Indian seafarers; All Indian sea
farers on board both the vessels safe
Safe repatriation of more than 2,680 Indian seafarers
facilitated so far, including 65 in the last 24 hours from
various locations across the region
Ministry of External Affairs continues focused efforts on
ensuring safety, security and welfare of the Indian community
in the region
Posted On: 23 APR 2026 6:09PM by PIB Delhi
Amid the evolving situation in West Asia, the Government of India continues its efforts to keep citizens
informed through regular updates. In this regard, a media briefing was held today at the National Media
Centre, where officers from the Ministries of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Ports, Shipping and Waterways,
and External Affairs provided updates on fuel availability, maritime operations, assistance to Indian
nationals in the region, and measures being undertaken to maintain stability across key sectors.
Energy Supply and Fuel Availability
The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas provided an update on the current fuel supply
situation, outlining measures being taken to ensure uninterrupted availability of petroleum products
and LPG in the context of the evolving situation in West Asia. It was noted that:
Public Advisory and Citizen AwarenessCitizens are advised to avoid panic purchase of petrol, diesel and LPG as the Govt is making all
efforts to ensure availability of petrol, diesel and LPG.
Beware of rumours and rely on official sources for correct 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 requested to make necessary efforts to conserve energy in their daily use during the
current situation.
Government Preparedness and Supply Management Measures
Despite the ongoing geopolitical situation, the Government has ensured that 100% supply is being
made to Domestic LPG, Domestic PNG and CNG (Transport).
For commercial LPG, priority has been given to hospitals, educational institutions. Besides this,
priority has also been given to pharma, steel, automobile, seed, agriculture, etc. In addition to this,
supply of 5 Kg FTL to migrant labour is also doubled based on avg. daily supply on 2nd and 3rd
March 2026.
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.
Govt. of States/UTs have to play a primary role in monitoring and regulating supply situation of
essential commodities including Petrol, Diesel and LPG. Govt. of India has reiterated the same via
multiple letters and VCs to all States/UTs.
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 prioritize 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.
Many states/UTs are issuing/carrying out press briefs.
Enforcement and Monitoring ActionsEnforcement actions continue across the country to curb hoarding and black marketing of
LPG. Yesterday, more than 2600 raids were conducted, wherein about 285 cylinders were
seized across the country.
Cumulatively, till date more than 1.5 Lakh raids have been conducted, and more than 66,000
cylinders have been seized across the country. Further, more than 1100 FIRs have been
registered, and 255 persons have been arrested.
PSU OMCs have strengthened and continued surprise inspections and imposed penalties on
298 LPG distributorships, and 70 LPG distributorships have been suspended till yesterday.
LPG Supply
Domestic LPG Supply Status:
LPG supply continues to be affected by the prevailing geopolitical situation.
Supply of LPG to domestic households has been prioritized.
No dry-outs have been reported at LPG distributorships.
Online LPG cylinder bookings have increased to 98% on industry basis yesterday.
Delivery Authentication Code (DAC) based deliveries have increased to around 94% to
prevent diversion. DAC is received on the registered mobile number of the consumer.
On 22.04.2026, more than 52 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 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 2nd-3rd March 2026
beyond the limit of 20% mentioned in letter dated 21.03.2026. These 5 Kg FTL cylinders are at
disposal of the State Government for supplying only to migrant labourers in their State with
assistance of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs).
Since 1st April 2026, more than 17 Lakh - 5 Kg FTL cylinders have been sold.
Yesterday, more than 86,000 – 5 Kg FTL cylinders were sold across the country.
Since 3rd April 2026, PSU OMCs have organised more than 8200 awareness camps for 5 Kg
FTL Cylinders, wherein more than 1,27,000 - 5Kg FTL cylinders were also sold.
Yesterday, 7877 – 5 Kg FTLs were sold through more than 320 camps.
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 in the States/UTs.
During the month of April-26 (till 22.04.26), a total of 1,40,362 MT (Equivalent to more than
73.87 Lakh of 19 Kg LPG Cylinders) of Commercial LPG has been sold.
On 22.04.2026, 8483 MT of Commercial LPG (Equivalent to more than 4.46 Lakh - 19 Kg
cylinders) was sold.
Natural Gas Supply and PNG Expansion Initiatives
Consumers have been prioritised with 100% supplies to D-PNG and CNG-Transport.
The overall gas allocation to fertilizer plants has been enhanced to approximately 95% of their six-
month average consumption.
Additionally, gas supply to other industrial and commercial sectors, including supplies through
CGD networks, is enhanced up to 80%.
CGD entities have been advised to prioritize PNG connections for commercial establishments such
as hotels, restaurants and canteens across all their GAs, to address concerns regarding theavailability 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.
22 States/UTs are receiving additional commercial LPG allocation linked to PNG expansion
reforms.
The Ministry of Road Transport & Highways vide letter dated 24.03.26 has adopted an ‘Accelerated
Approval Framework for CGD infrastructure with reduced timelines’ as a special for 3 months to
process applications pertaining to CGD infrastructure 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.
PNGRB has directed CGD entities to expedite D-PNG connections. Also, the National PNG Drive
2.0 has been extended till 30.06.2026 to sustain momentum in PNG expansion.
To encourage a 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.
MoEFCC vide order dated 07.04.2026 has directed CPCB to issue necessary directions to
SPCB/PCCs for granting consent to establish or consent to operate within 15 days for CGD
network/infrastructure.
Since March 2026, about 5.18 Lakh PNG connections have been gasified and infrastructure
has been created for additional 2.58 lakh connections, taking the total to 7.76 lakh
connections. Further, about 5.87 Lakh customers have been registered for new connections.
Till 21.04.2026, more than 41,000 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.
An inter-ministerial Joint Working Group (JWG) has been set up to ensure availability of
petrochemical feedstock supply for the domestic market. Subsequently, Govt. of India vide order
dated 01.04.2026 has permitted Oil Refinery companies including Petrochemical Complexes to
make certain minimum quantities of C3 & C4 streams available for critical sectors as determined by
Centre for High Technology (CHT).
Based on the requests received from the Department of Pharmaceuticals, Department of Chemicals
& Petro Chemicals (DCPC), Dept. for Promotion of Industry and internal trade (DPIIT), theprovision for 1000 MT/day, from LPG pool, has been made for Pharma and Chemical sector
companies.
Since 9th April 2026, more than 6300 MT of propylene has been sold by Mumbai, Kochi and
Mathura refineries to Chemical and Pharma Industry.
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.
Govt. of India vide Gazette notification dated 11.04.2026 has increased the export levy on diesel to
Rs. 55.50 per litre and on ATF to Rs. 42 per litre, to ensure availability of these products in the
domestic market.
Regular Retail Prices for Petrol and Diesel are unchanged and there is no price increase at PSU
OMCs Retail Outlets.
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.
18 States/UTs have issued SKO allocation orders, while Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh have
indicated no requirement.
Maritime Safety and Shipping Operations
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways provided an update on the prevailing maritime
situation in the Persian Gulf, detailing the measures being undertaken to ensure the safety and
security of Indian vessels and crew in the region. It was stated that:
In the past 24 hours, some incidents of firing on foreign-flagged vessels have been reported in the
Strait of Hormuz involving Indian seafarers. All seafarers on board both vessels are safe.
a. Vessel Euphoria, a container ship flagged with Panama has 21 Indian seafarers onboard. All of them are
safe.
b. Vessel Epaminondas, a container ship flagged with Panama has 1 Indian seafarer onboard. He is safe.
All Indian seafarers in the region are safe.
Indian-flagged crude oil tanker Desh Garima safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz on 18 April 2026.
The vessel, carrying 31 Indian seafarers, reached Mumbai on 22 April 2026.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways continues to coordinate with the Ministry of
External Affairs, Indian Missions, and maritime stakeholders to ensure seafarer welfare and
uninterrupted maritime operations.
DG Shipping Control Room Update: The Control Room has handled 7,403 calls and more than
15,639 emails since activation. In the past 24 hours, 161 calls and 320 emails have been received.
The Ministry, through the Directorate General of Shipping (DG Shipping), has facilitated the
safe repatriation of more than 2,680 Indian seafarers so far, including 65 in the last 24 hours
from various locations across the Gulf region.
Port Operations: Port operations across India remain normal, with no congestion reported.
Safety of Indian Nationals in the Region
The Ministry of External Affairs continues to monitor developments in the Gulf and West Asia region,
with focused efforts on ensuring safety, security and welfare of the Indian community in the region. It was
informed that:Dedicated special control rooms in the Ministry of External Affairs are operational and are working
in coordination with Indian missions.
The Ministry of External Affairs is in regular contact with State Governments and Union Territories
for sharing of information and better alignment of efforts.
Indian Missions and Posts continue to operate round-the-clock helplines and are proactively
assisting Indian nationals. They remain in close contact with the local Governments.
Updated advisories are being issued regularly, including information on local government
guidelines, flight and travel situations and consular services and various welfare measures being
undertaken to support our community.
Indian Missions are actively engaged with the resident Indian community. Ambassadors are
regularly interacting with the Indian community associations, organizations, professional groups, an
Indian companies to address their concerns.
Government is according high priority to the welfare of Indian seafarers in the region. Indian
Missions are extending all assistance to them including coordination with the local authorities and
agencies, extending consular assistance, and assisting for requests to return to India.
The overall flight situation continues to improve with additional flights operating from the region to
various destinations in India. Since 28 February, around 12,12,000 passengers have travelled from
the region to India.
In the UAE, airlines continue to operate limited commercial flights between the UAE and India
based on operational and safety considerations, with around 110 flights expected today between
UAE and India.
Flights continue to operate from various airports in Saudi Arabia and Oman to various destinations
in India.
With Qatar airspace partially open, Qatar Airways is operating flights to various destinations in
India.
Kuwait airspace remains closed. Jazeera Airways and Kuwait Airways are operating non-scheduled
commercial flights from Dammam Airport in Saudi Arabia to India.
Bahrain airspace is open. Gulf Air is operating flights from Bahrain to various destinations in India.
Iraq airspace is open with limited flight operations to destinations in the region, which can be used
for onward travel to India.
Iran airspace is partially open for cargo and chartered flights. Indian embassy in Tehran continues to
facilitate movement of Indian nationals through Armenia and Azerbaijan for onward travel to India.
So far, 2428 Indian nationals have moved out of Iran into Armenia and Azerbaijan. This includes
1096 Indian students and 657 Indian fishermen.
Israel airspace is open and limited flight operations have resumed to destinations in the region,
which can be used for onward travel to India.
***
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